Woman who sued Bill Cosby for sexual battery awarded $19.2 million

Woman who sued Bill Cosby for sexual battery awarded $19.2 million

A Southern California civil jury delivered a $19.2 million verdict to Donna Motsinger on Monday, following her claim that Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her over five decades ago. The plaintiff’s legal representative confirmed the ruling, which came in a 2023 lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica. Motsinger alleged Cosby committed sexual battery by abusing a server he met at a Northern California restaurant in 1972.

Cosby, 88, has consistently denied the accusations. His former representative expressed disappointment, stating the outcome “sets a dangerous precedent” for allowing “decade-old allegations, presented without evidence or proof, to stand.” The verdict comes as Cosby faces ongoing legal battles, including a separate Pennsylvania case where he was convicted in 2018 on three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault.

That conviction, however, was overturned in 2021 when the state Supreme Court ruled his sentence was void, citing a violation of his right to avoid self-incrimination. Cosby maintained his innocence throughout the Pennsylvania trial, reiterating he never “changed my stance or my story.” The case highlights the evolving legal landscape surrounding his alleged misconduct.

“This verdict sets a dangerous precedent to allow decade-old allegations, presented without evidence or proof, to stand.”

Tim Stelloh, a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital, reported the developments.