A California jury has ruled that former comedian and actor Bill Cosby must pay $19.25 million in damages to Donna Motsinger, who accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her more than five decades ago.
The civil trial, held in Santa Monica, focused on a 1972 incident in which Motsinger, now 84, alleged Cosby assaulted her after giving her a pill she believed was aspirin.
According to court filings, Motsinger recounted being picked up by Cosby in a limousine and taken to one of his shows, during which she consumed wine and the pill.
She testified that the substance left her incapacitated, stating, “Next thing she knew, she was going in and out of consciousness… the last thing Ms. Motsinger recalls were flashes of light.” She said she later woke up at home partially undressed and concluded she had been drugged and raped.
Cosby, 88, has consistently denied the allegation, as well as similar claims made by dozens of other women over the years. His legal team argued that Motsinger “freely admits that she has no idea what happened.” Jennifer Bonjean, Cosby’s attorney, confirmed that the comedian intends to appeal the verdict.
Motsinger previously worked at the Trident restaurant in Sausalito, California, a popular celebrity venue at the time, where she said she first encountered Cosby.
Cosby has faced accusations from over 60 women, many alleging that he used sedatives and alcohol to sexually assault them over a period of roughly 40 years.
Despite these claims, he has not been criminally convicted. In 2018, he was imprisoned following a criminal conviction, which was later overturned in 2021 on a technicality.
The civil case marks a significant financial judgment against Cosby and highlights the decades-long allegations of sexual misconduct that have surrounded the former entertainer.