A civil jury has found comedian Bill Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 1972, awarding substantial damages following a trial that concluded this week.
After nearly two weeks of proceedings, jurors ruled in favor of Donna Motsinger, ordering Cosby to pay a total of $59.25 million. The award includes $17.5 million in past damages and $1.75 million in future damages related to emotional and psychological harm, including “mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, grief, anxiety, humiliation, and emotional distress.”
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In a second phase of the trial, the jury added $40 million in punitive damages, significantly increasing the total judgment.
Motsinger welcomed the verdict, stating, “this verdict is not just about me, it’s about finally being heard and holding mr. cosby accountable.” She added, “i have carried the weight of what happened to me for more than 50 years… today, a jury saw the truth and held him accountable.”
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, alleged that Cosby invited Motsinger, then a restaurant server, o one of his performances before giving her wine and pills that left her incapacitated. According to court filings, she later regained consciousness at home and believed she had been assaulted.
Cosby’s legal team challenged the claims, arguing that the case relied on speculation. His attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, said the defense is “disappointed” with the outcome and intends to appeal the decision.
The ruling marks one of the largest financial judgments against Cosby in a civil case and adds to a long series of legal battles tied to similar allegations. Although Cosby was previously convicted in a separate criminal case involving Andrea Constand in 2018, that conviction was later overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, leading to his release after nearly three years in prison.
Motsinger had initially made her claims anonymously in earlier litigation connected to Constand’s case. Her lawsuit proceeded relatively quickly through the courts, reaching a verdict in approximately two and a half years.
Her attorney, Jesse Creed, praised the outcome, saying, “we are grateful to the jury… and to ms. motsinger for the extraordinary courage it took to come forward.”
Cosby, once widely known as “America’s Dad,” has faced allegations from dozens of women over several decades, all of which he has consistently denied. Despite the overturned criminal conviction, civil cases have continued to shape his legal and public legacy.
The latest verdict underscores the continued impact of historical sexual assault claims in civil courts, particularly in cases where criminal prosecution is no longer possible.
