Bill Cosby loses sexual assault lawsuit, ordered to pay $19 million judgment

A civil jury found famed actor and comedian Bill Cosby liable for sexual assault Monday for allegedly drugging and assaulting a former waitress in 1972 and ordered the "The Cosby Show" star to pay the victim $19.5 million in damages.

Cosby has faced allegations of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women in recent years. The comedian was previously ordered to pay one woman $500,000 in 2022 for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager in 1975. 

The Hollywood actor has been criminally convicted of sexual assault once, but the conviction was overturned for procedural reasons in 2021.

Donna Motsinger, who won her case in California on Monday, claimed Cosby assaulted her when both of them were in their 30s and drugged her with a pill that left her incapacitated, according to the New York Times.

“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 after the verdict, stating that although it was not a criminal trial, it was important she was “believed and he in some way has to be accountable for what he did to me.”

Cosby's attorney said her client will appeal the verdict. Cosby has denied all allegations.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.