In Nevada, nine women have filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Bill Cosby, taking advantage of a recent law that removed the statute of limitations for civil cases.
The lawsuit, submitted to the U.S. District Court for Nevada, alleges that Cosby used his “enormous power, fame and prestige” to isolate and sexually assault each of the nine women mentioned in the legal action.
The women involved in the lawsuit are Janice Dickinson, Lise-Lotte Lublin, Janice Baker Kinney, Lili Bernard, Heidi Thomas, Linda Kirkpatrick, Rebecca Cooper, Pam Joy Abeyta, and Angela Leslie.
Cosby has faced public accusations of sexual misconduct, ranging from groping to rape, made by over 60 women. Many of these allegations date back several decades but have resurfaced as states revise their statutes regarding sexual misconduct cases in the courts.
In response, Cosby’s spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, accused the women suing Cosby of being driven by their “addiction to massive amounts of media attention and greed.” Wyatt stated, “From this day forward, we will not continue to allow these women to parade various accounts … against Mr. Cosby anymore without vetting them in the court of public opinion and inside of the courtroom”
Bill Cosby, who is 85 years old, has consistently denied all accusations of sexual abuse made against him. While he has not faced any criminal convictions, he was found civilly liable last year for molesting Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in 1975 when she was 16. Cosby’s attorneys disputed her claims, labeling her as a liar.
On May 31, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo signed SB129, a bill that removed the civil statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases involving adults.
Prior to this legislation, adults in the state had a two-year time limit to bring forth their cases in court. Lise-Lotte Lublin, a native of Nevada and one of the women mentioned in the lawsuit, advocated for this new law that enabled the filing of the current civil claim.
Lublin publicly accused Cosby of drugging her at a hotel in Las Vegas in 1989. She alleged that she met him in his room for an acting evaluation involving improvisation.
According to the lawsuit, Cosby provided her with two drinks, claiming they would help her relax. However, they caused her to feel disoriented, and shortly after, Cosby embraced her.
The suit further alleges that Cosby grabbed Lublin’s wrists and held them between his legs while touching her hair as he masturbated. Lublin stated that she was then pulled into a bedroom where the assault took place, according to the lawsuit.
