Disgraced comedian Bill Cosby has been ordered to pay at least $19.25 million to Donna Motsinger, a former restaurant server who accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 1972. The Los Angeles jury could award additional punitive damages depending on their final decision.
Motsinger alleged that Cosby, a regular at The Trident restaurant, followed her home before taking her to one of his shows at the Circle Star Theatre. She claimed she was given wine and an aspirin, after which she lost consciousness and later woke at home with her clothes removed except for her underwear.
Cosby, who has denied wrongdoing in multiple cases, did not testify. Witnesses included other accusers, such as Andrea Constand, whose 2005 lawsuit led to Cosby’s conviction for aggravated indecent assault. That conviction was later overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
This ruling adds to Cosby’s ongoing legal and financial challenges, which include lawsuits filed decades after alleged incidents and a recent suit over a defaulted $17.5 million mortgage.
