A California jury on Monday, March 23, 2026, ordered comedian Bill Cosby to pay $19.25 million to a woman he drugged and sexually assaulted over five decades ago, after inviting her to one of his performances in Los Angeles. The verdict stems from a lawsuit filed by Donna Motsinger, who alleged Cosby drugged and raped her in 1972.
Motsinger testified that she worked as a waitress more than 50 years ago when the entertainer began to harass her. During the hearing in Santa Monica, she recounted how Cosby initially entered the restaurant where she, now 84 years old, was employed. One day, while picking her up in his limousine, Cosby offered her a glass of wine and what she believed to be an aspirin.
She began to lose consciousness intermittently and suddenly awoke in his home, clad only in underwear. “I knew Bill Cosby drugged and raped her,” the lawsuit states. Cosby’s lawyers argued that the 88-year-old comedian had no recollection of any sexual contact with Motsinger, and that any contact that may have occurred was consensual.
Cosby Faces Financial Difficulties
Cosby, once a celebrated figure in the African American community, maintained that any sexual encounter was consensual. He did not testify during the trial, a factor that appeared to influence the jury’s decision in favor of the plaintiff.
Motsinger told the court it took 54 years to achieve justice and be believed, rather than Cosby. “I know this [verdict] isn’t complete for the rest of the women, but I hope it helps them,” according to reporting by The New York Times. The ruling comes as Cosby has stated he is facing financial hardship.
The comedian was incarcerated in 2018 for sexually abusing Canadian Andrea Constand, becoming the first high-profile celebrity to be imprisoned following the rise of the ‘Me Too’ movement. Cosby was released in 2021 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction based on a prior civil agreement in which he compensated the victim. The comedian continues to face multiple civil lawsuits related to allegations of sexual abuse.
lgc (efe, afp, nyt)
