Cal Supreme Court Lets Cosby Sexual Assault Suit Move Forward
The California Supreme Court ruled against comedian, Jello-spokesperson, and alleged serial sexual offender Bill Cosby last Wednesday. The court rejected Cosby's attempt to block a sexual battery lawsuit by Judy Huth. Huth's lawsuit alleges that the comedian molested her at the Playboy Mansion in 1974, when she was 15 years old.
Cosby could soon be deposed under oath, following the ruling. That's certainly not something the Cosby team is looking forward to, given the damaging revelations from a recently discovered deposition.
The Accusations
Allegations of sexual misconduct have trailed Bill Cosby for years, though they had been kept largely out of the public eye. At least 35 women have come forward with claims that they were sexually assaulted by Cosby, during a time period spanning from the mid-60s to the 2000s. Of the current accusations, Judy Huth's is the only one involving a minor.
Huth met Cosby when she was just 15 years old at a park in Los Angeles. She and a 16-year-old acquaintance quickly befriended the actor and were invited to his house to drink and play billiards, according to her lawsuit. Later, Cosby brought Huth to the Playboy Mansion and molested her, she alleges.
Since Huth was assaulted as a minor, it may be easier for her to avoid any statute of limitations when bringing suit. While California has a statute of limitations on civil sexual abuse suits, these can often be extended to toll from the moment when the childhood abuse was discovered, rather than its actual date of occurrence.
The Depositions
The state Supreme Court's ruling means that Huth's lawsuit will continue to advance. Huth's lawyer, celebrity civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred, has said they plan to depose Cosby within 30 days. That deposition would be the first under-oath statements Cosby will have given about sexual assault accusations since he was sued for assaulting a model a decade ago.
Cosby's deposition in that case was recently brought to light by The New York Times. It didn't paint the comedian in a very good light. Though Cosby professed his innocence throughout the deposition, he admitted to what the Times described as a "calculated pursuit" of young women. His strategies included giving Quaaludes to young models and employing other suspect seduction techniques.
Related Resources:
- 35 Bill Cosby Accusers Tell Their Story (New York Magazine)
- Bill Cosby's Deposition: Confession to Rape? (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Bill Cosby's Lawsuit Response: 5 Things You Should Know (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Bill Cosby Responds to Sex Assault Lawsuit With Demurrer (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)