November 21, 2023
MANHATTAN, New York City | A former stand-in on the “Cosby Show” has filed a civil lawsuit against Bill Cosby, alleging that the actor groomed her under the guise of mentorship, subsequently drugging and raping her while she was unconscious. The anonymous plaintiff joined the production in the late 1980s, and Cosby, the star of the show, offered to mentor her in her acting career after their first meeting.
According to the 24-page complaint filed in a New York state court, Cosby served the plaintiff wine laced with an unknown drug during a mentorship meeting, causing her to black out. When she regained consciousness, she discovered herself partially undressed and vomiting into a toilet.
The plaintiff alleges that Cosby sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious, without her consent. The complaint further claims that after the assault, the plaintiff confided in an actor on “The Cosby Show,” who expressed that Cosby could act with impunity on the set.
The accuser, represented by attorney Jordan Rutsky, filed the lawsuit within the final days of the Adult Survivors Act’s one-year “look-back window,” allowing survivors to bring claims ordinarily barred by the statute of limitations.
The charges against Cosby include battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment. The corporate entities involved in producing the “Cosby Show,” including NBC Universal Media, are named as co-defendants on counts of negligence and negligent hiring.
The plaintiff alleges that NBC and the Kaufman Astoria film studio, where the show was shot, financially benefited from Cosby’s wholesome public image as “America’s Dad” and a morally upstanding father figure. The complaint contends that despite knowing about Cosby’s history of sexual assault, the entities did nothing to address or prevent his actions.
Cosby, 86, who has faced numerous accusations of rape and sexual assault by over 60 women, had his landmark sexual assault conviction overturned in June 2021. However, he faces new legal challenges with the recent civil lawsuits filed under the Adult Survivors Act.
Cosby’s spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, declined to comment on the specific allegations but criticized the use of “look-back windows” in such cases. He urged the public to demand the closure of these windows, alleging they are being abused to target successful individuals.
The lawsuit is part of a broader trend, with multiple women coming forward in the final days of the look-back window to bring civil suits against Cosby, seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
