A Santa Monica jury just ordered disgraced comedian Bill Cosby to pay $59.25 million. He must pay this to a woman he drugged and raped over 50 years ago. Plaintiff Donna Motsinger successfully sued the 88-year-old actor. She utilized recent updates to California’s statute of limitations for sex crimes. Here is everything you need to know about this massive civil verdict.
The Details of the Verdict
Following a two-week trial and three days of deliberation, the 12-person jury found Cosby liable for sexual battery and the sexual assault of an intoxicated woman.
The total $59.25 million payout is broken down into two distinct awards:
- Compensatory Damages ($19.25 Million): The jury awarded Motsinger $17.5 million for past mental trauma and an additional $1.75 million for future mental suffering.
- Punitive Damages ($40 Million): Following further deliberation, the jury awarded Motsinger an additional $40 million based on Cosby’s “malice, oppression, or fraud.”
“This verdict is not just about me – it’s about finally being heard and holding Mr. Cosby accountable,” the 84-year-old former waitress said following the final verdict. “I have carried the weight of what happened to me for more than 50 years. It never goes away. Today, a jury saw the truth and held him accountable.”
The 1972 Assault Allegations
Motsinger filed her lawsuit against Cosby in 2023. According to her 11-page complaint, the assault occurred in 1972 after she met the comedian at her waitressing job.
Cosby reportedly invited her backstage to his local comedy show at the Circle Star Theatre in San Carlos, California. When Motsinger began to feel sick, Cosby allegedly gave her what she believed was an aspirin. The complaint states her last memory was “flashes of light” before waking up in her own house with her clothes removed.
Cosby’s legal team insists he has never had nonconsensual sex. In a deposition video played during the trial, Cosby was directly asked if he had sex with Motsinger. He replied, “I cannot remember if I did or not.”
Will Cosby Actually Pay the $59 Million?
Legal experts highly doubt Motsinger will see the money anytime soon.
Cosby’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, announced they are already planning an appeal. Furthermore, Cosby is reportedly broke. The much-accused comedian has spent recent years selling off multi-million dollar properties just to meet his legal bills and living expenses. Even if he loses his appeal, he likely does not have the cash on hand to pay the judgment.
Cosby previously served time in prison for the 2004 rape of Andrea Constand, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction on a procedural technicality in 2021.
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