Court Orders Cosby to Pay $19.25m Over 1972 Sexual Assault Case

A jury in Santa Monica has ordered former U.S. comedian and actor Bill Cosby to pay $19.25 million in damages to a woman who accused him of sexual assault dating back more than five decades.

The civil verdict found Cosby liable in connection with a 1972 incident involving Donna Motsinger, now 84, who filed the lawsuit seeking justice decades after the alleged attack.

Motsinger told the court that Cosby picked her up in a limousine and gave her wine along with a pill she believed was aspirin before taking her to one of his shows.

The jury’s decision marks one of the latest legal setbacks for Cosby, whose legacy has been overshadowed by multiple allegations of sexual misconduct spanning several years.

Legal analysts say the ruling underscores a growing willingness by courts to hold high-profile figures accountable in civil cases, even for incidents that occurred decades ago.

Cosby, once celebrated as a pioneering figure in American entertainment, has faced numerous lawsuits and criminal cases related to sexual assault allegations, significantly altering public perception of his career.