Convicted rapist Bill Cosby faced yet another legal blow after Los Angeles Superior Judge Bradley S. Phillips denied Cosby’s motion for a retrial.
The disgraced comedian has been slapped with a $59 million verdict to be paid to Donna Motsinger, who has alleged that Cosby drugged and raped her in 1973 after inviting her to a Northern California stand-up show.
Bill Cosby Denied New Trial; Judge Upholds $59 Million Sexual Assault Verdict
The payable amount includes 19.25 million in compensatory charges for a lifetime of emotional distress and $40 million in punitive charges. Cosby’s lawyers claimed that the damages were “excessive” and unnecessary for the aging comedian.
Cosby’s legal distress began in 2022 for sexually assaulting 16-year-old Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion in 1972. He has also served almost three years at a Pennsylvania prison for a 2018 conviction for raping Andrea Constand, a Temple University worker at his Philadelphia estate in 1975.
The latest civil conviction is among 17 that the felon has already faced. As the record stands, Cosby has faced accusations from over 60 women alleging sexual misconduct. The 88-year-old has always maintained his innocence.
Cosby, a broken and aging former TV star, is also experiencing a rift with Camille Cosby, 82, his wife of 62 years. An insider has commented, “This has to be a very bitter pill for both of them,” adding, “It’s not only crushing for an old man in failing health but also potentially convincing for a woman who wants, more than anything, to believe her life with him was something more than just a fistful of lies.”
Cosby’s latest legal setback also comes at a time when he is suffering from age-related health scares, including two coronary surgeries while in prison.
By turning down retrial, Judge Phillips has also placed Cosby in hot water, as his legal team tries to protect the actor from further damage to his fast-depleting fortunes.
DO YOU THINK THE NEW VERDICT IS JUSTIFIED?
