Bill Cosby Found Liable in Civil Trial for 1972 Sexual Assault
A civil jury in California has delivered a significant verdict against Bill Cosby, finding the 88-year-old entertainer liable for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman more than five decades ago. The decision marks another legal setback for Cosby, who faces numerous allegations from over sixty women.
Jury Awards $59.25 Million in Damages
After a nearly two-week trial in Santa Monica, jurors determined that Cosby committed sexual battery and assault against Donna Motsinger in 1972. The jury awarded Motsinger a total of $59.25 million, comprising $17.5 million in past damages, $1.75 million for future damages, and an additional $40 million in punitive damages.
The damages for past and future suffering specifically cover mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, grief, anxiety, humiliation, and emotional distress. Deliberations lasted approximately two days before the verdict was reached.
Cosby's Legal Team Plans Appeal
Jennifer Bonjean, Cosby's attorney, expressed disappointment following the initial award and confirmed their intention to appeal the verdict. She did not immediately comment on the punitive damages portion of the decision.
This civil loss comes nearly five years after Cosby was freed from prison in Pennsylvania, where the state Supreme Court overturned a criminal conviction based on similar allegations. While Cosby has settled some lawsuits and been ordered to pay in others, Monday's award represents potentially the largest financial penalty he has faced.
Victim's Statement and Case Details
"This verdict is not just about me — it's about finally being heard and holding Mr. Cosby accountable," Motsinger stated. "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. That means everything."
Motsinger, who worked as a server at a Sausalito restaurant near San Francisco, alleged in her 2023 lawsuit that Cosby invited her to his comedy show in San Carlos when both were in their thirties. She claimed Cosby gave her wine and two pills she believed were aspirin, after which she drifted in and out of consciousness as two men placed her in a limousine.
"She woke up in her house with all her clothes off, except her underwear on — no top, no bra, and no pants," the lawsuit detailed. "She knew she had been drugged and raped by Bill Cosby."
Legal History and Broader Context
Cosby's lawyers argued that Motsinger's allegations rested on speculation and assumption, noting she "freely admits that she has no idea what happened." Despite this defense, Motsinger's case progressed through California courts with unusual speed, reaching verdict in just two and a half years while other lawsuits against Cosby stalled.
Jesse Creed, one of Motsinger's attorneys from the Panish Shea Ravipudi law firm, praised the jury's attention to evidence and Motsinger's courage in coming forward. Cosby did not testify during the trial, which included testimony from Andrea Constand, the Temple University sports administrator whose criminal case against Cosby resulted in a 2018 conviction that was later overturned.
Motsinger first made her allegations anonymously in a 2005 lawsuit filed by Constand. Her case echoes accusations from more than sixty women who have accused Cosby of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment over decades — all of which he has consistently denied.
Once celebrated as "America's Dad" for his television role, Cosby became the first major celebrity convicted during the #MeToo era, though that conviction was permanently dismissed when an appeals court determined he gave incriminating testimony under the belief he had immunity from prosecution.
In 2022, another Santa Monica jury awarded $500,000 to a woman who said Cosby sexually assaulted her at the Playboy Mansion when she was a teenager in 1975. The latest verdict adds to Cosby's mounting legal challenges as multiple accusers continue to seek accountability through the civil court system.
