A Santa Monica jury has awarded Donna Motsinger $19.25 million in damages after finding former comedian and actor Bill Cosby liable for a sexual assault that allegedly occurred in 1972. The civil case marks another major development in the decades-long series of allegations against the 88-year-old entertainer.
According to court testimony, Motsinger first met Cosby while working at the Trident restaurant, a celebrity hotspot at the time. She said Cosby later picked her up in a limousine, offered her wine and a pill she thought was aspirin, and took her to one of his shows. She testified that the substance left her incapacitated and that she remembered only brief flashes before losing consciousness. She claimed she later awoke at home partially undressed, concluding that she had been drugged and sexually assaulted.
Cosby has consistently denied the allegations, as have his attorneys, who indicated plans to appeal the verdict. His lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, highlighted that Motsinger herself acknowledged uncertainty about aspects of the incident.
Over the years, more than 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, alleging a pattern of using drugs or alcohol to facilitate assaults. Cosby was previously convicted in 2018 in a separate criminal case, though that conviction was overturned in 2021. Civil lawsuits such as this remain one of the primary legal avenues for holding him accountable.
