Bill Cosby Accuser Wins $19 Million Judgment Against Disgraced Comedian Over 1972 Assault
Donna Motsinger said it took “54 years to get justice” as Cosby’s attorney vows appeal
A jury in California has ruled in favor of a woman who accused Bill Cosby, awarding significant damages tied to an incident dating back decades. The decision marks a major moment in a case that has drawn national attention.
The verdict, reached Monday in Los Angeles County, stems from a civil lawsuit brought by Donna Motsinger, who accused Cosby of assaulting her after inviting her to one of his comedy shows more than five decades ago.
An attorney for Motsinger told PEOPLE the award includes $17.5 million in past non-economic damages and $1.75 million in future non-economic damages. Additional punitive damages will be determined later Monday at the Santa Monica courthouse, the attorney said.
Motsinger alleged in her lawsuit that Cosby gave her wine and a pill that left her incapacitated before assaulting her. The jury ultimately sided with her account.
Cosby has denied the allegations.
“It has been 54 years to get justice, and I know it’s not complete for the rest of the women, but I hope it helps them a little bit,” Motsinger said outside court following the verdict, per The New York Times. She described the damages award as “icing on the cake.”
Cosby’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, said he plans to appeal the decision, per The New York Times. “I was obviously disappointed in the decision, but we believe we have a strong appeal and we’ll pursue that,” she said.
The lawsuit was allowed to proceed despite the decades-old allegation due to changes in California law that expanded the statute of limitations for sexual assault claims.
Cosby, 88, has long denied accusations of sexual misconduct and has maintained that any sexual encounters were consensual.
As PEOPLE previously reported, Cosby was convicted in 2018 of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand and sentenced to three to 10 years in prison. His conviction was overturned in 2021 by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which found that a prior agreement with prosecutors had been violated, leading to his release after about three years behind bars.
Nearly 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct dating back decades. In 2022, a separate civil jury found him liable for sexually assaulting Judy Huth when she was a teenager, awarding her $500,000 in damages, PEOPLE previously reported.
