It has been several years since the allegations of sexual abuse against former comedian Bill Cosby came out. Still, many of those investigations are still ongoing. One of them, however, has now closed. On Tuesday, June 22, a jury in California found Bill Cosby sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in 1975.
Jury Rules Bill Cosby of 1975 Sexual Assault of a 16-Year-Old Girl
Judith Huth, now 64-years-old, was one of Bill Cosby’s victims more than four decades ago. Finally, she is getting justice. Huth says that when she was just 16 years old, Cosby sexually assaulted her inside the famous Los Angeles Playboy Mansion. Cosby has continued to deny the allegations, however, the California jury found him guilty this past Tuesday. (1)
Huth first filed her lawsuit in 2014. According to documents and her testimony, she and Bill Cosby first met in 1975 while he was filming a movie in San Marino, California. The former comedian invited Huth and her friend Donna Samuelson to visit the mansion with the promise of a tour. After giving them a tour of the house and game room, however, Cosby led Huth to an isolated bedroom where he assaulted her. Samuelson, who was 17 at the time, took photos that evening and was a witness at the trial. (2)
“I had my eyes closed at that point,” Ms. Huth said in court. “I was freaking out…(I was) mad — I felt duped, fooled. I was let down. I was hurt.”
More Details On What Happened That Night
Huth and Samuelson met Cosby at a park near their homes where he was filming the movie “Let’s Do It Again”. He invited the girls to a tennis club a few days later. Afterward, he took them to the house where he was staying. There, they played a game in which they had to drink a beer every time they lost at billiards. He then asked them to follow him in their car to the Playboy mansion, allegedly asking them if they were “ready for a surprise”.
When they arrived at the mansion, the two women said that Cosby first put his hands on Samelson’s shoulders. She managed to squirm away from him, though. Then, Huth asked if she could use the bathroom. When she exited the bathroom, Cosby was sitting on the bed in the restroom’s adjoining bedroom.
“He patted the seat next to him,” Huth recalled.“I sat down. He tried to lean me back, he tried to kiss me, he tried to put his hands underneath my belly button where my high-waisted pants were.”
Huth tried to deter Cosby by telling him that she was on her period, however, he didn’t seem to care. He then pulled down his pants, grabbed her hand, and forced her to perform a sex act on him. Cosby has denied these allegations, saying that he doesn’t remember her or even taking her to the Playboy mansion. Thanks to the photo taken by Samuelson, which she said she took only 15 minutes after the assault happened, we have proof.
Cosby’s lawyers argued that the two teenagers, despite Huth’s distressing tale, stayed for hours afterward. They continued to play games, swim in the pool, order drinks, and mingle with other celebrities who were at the mansion. Samuelson, however, testified that it was her who had calmed Huth down and convinced her to stay. Young, scared, and ashamed, they agreed to keep what had happened a secret.
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A Win For All Of Bill Cosby’s Victims
In 2021, the court released Cosby from prison and acquitted him of many charges. The legal system then barred many victims from filing their own lawsuits in civil court because they waited to come forward rather than doing so at the time when they said Bill Cosby had attacked them. Huth, however, was able to get around this because she was a minor at the time of the assault. California law extends the time frame in which victims of molestation who were children at the time have to make a civil claim.
The jury found Cosby guilty of the assault and awarded Huth $500,000 in damages. They found that Cosby intentionally caused harmful sexual contact with Huth, who was a minor at the time. It is not a criminal ruling, however, it is a successful civil case. This was quite the loss for Cosby, who was trying to rebuild his reputation after three years in prison and dozens of sexual assault allegations. The 84-year-old disgraced comedian was not present at the trial.
“I feel vindicated,” said Huth. “It’s a big, big step forward for all the victims out there. It’s about time he has paid for what he has done to so many women.”
Bill Cosby’s Response
Still, even after this verdict, Cosby maintains his innocence. He has maintained his innocence since the first allegations came out and throughout the entirety of his prison sentence.
“It is extraordinarily difficult to defend against ancient claims,” said Cosby’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean. “We do feel some relief… finding no punitive damages was a significant win for us.”
We will have to wait and see if more women are able to continue to take Cosby to trial for what he has done to them.
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Sources
- “Bill Cosby sexually abused 16-year-old in 1975, jury in civil trial finds” Washington Post. June 21, 2022.
- “Court Sides With Judy Huth, Who Accused Bill Cosby of a 1975 Sexual Assault.” NY Times. June 21, 2022.