A California jury has ordered comedian Bill Cosby to pay an additional $40 million in punitive damages to a woman who accused him of rape more than five decades ago, marking one of the largest civil judgments in a sexual assault case involving the entertainer.
The ruling brings the total award to approximately $59.25 million, including $19.25 million in compensatory damages. The verdict stems from a civil lawsuit filed by Donna Motsinger, who alleged Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1972.
Jurors found Cosby liable after a trial in California, concluding he acted with malice, oppression, or fraud, a standard required for punitive damages under state law.
Decades-Old Allegations Revisited
Motsinger testified that she met Cosby while working at a restaurant in Sausalito and later accepted his invitation to a comedy show. She told jurors she was given wine and a pill, which caused her to lose consciousness.
She later awoke at home, partially undressed, believing she had been assaulted.
“I have carried the weight of what happened to me for more than 50 years. It never goes away,” Motsinger said in a statement following the verdict.
The lawsuit was filed in 2023 under a California law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for certain sexual assault claims. That legal change allowed survivors to pursue cases decades after the alleged abuse.
Cosby, now 88, did not testify during the trial. He has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that his encounters with accusers were consensual.
Legal Fallout Continues
Cosby’s attorney said the verdict would be appealed, arguing the entertainer “was denied a fair trial.”
The decision adds to a long list of civil cases and accusations against Cosby, once one of the most recognizable figures in American entertainment. More than 60 women have accused him of sexual misconduct over several decades.
In 2018, Cosby was convicted in a separate criminal case involving Andrea Constand. That conviction was later overturned in 2021 due to a procedural violation, leading to his release from prison after nearly three years.
Despite that reversal, civil litigation has continued to move forward, with courts allowing juries to weigh decades-old allegations.
Motsinger said the verdict represents long-awaited accountability.
“This verdict makes clear that fame and influence cannot be used as a shield for abuse,” her attorney said after the ruling.
The case reflects a broader legal shift, as states adopt laws giving survivors extended opportunities to file claims.