Bill Cosby Sexually Abused Teenager At the Playboy Mansion In 1975 - L.A. Court
The jury at a Los Angeles County court has handed out the verdict on the latest case involving comedian Bill Cosby. The court found that Cosby sexually abused the victim, Judy Huth, when she was still 16 years old. The incident happened at the Playboy Mansion in 1975.
Huth, who is now 64, was awarded $500,000 by the L.A. court almost five decades after the incident happened. In a statement to the media, Huth said that jurors believing her story meant more than the money granted to her. She says it was a big victory, as reliving Bill Cosby's sexual abuse as a teenager has been a "torture."
According to the Associated Press, the jurors believed that Bill Cosby intentionally caused sexual harm to Huth when she was still a minor. The court believed that Cosby reasonably believed Huth to be under 18 at that time and was "driven by unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in a minor."
Bill Cosby Suffers First Major Legal Defeat Since Getting Freed Last Year
The decision came from a civil court, which means that Bill Cosby is not going to jail for this case. However, this is still a major legal blow to the 84-year-old comedian, who has been facing several abuse charges since several women have come forward against him.
This latest decision also comes almost a year since he was freed from prison after his Pennsylvania criminal conviction for sexual assault was thrown out by the state's Supreme Court. The AP notes that Huth's lawsuit was one of the last legal claims against the man who was once known as "America's Dad."
The Los Angeles Times reports that in her lawsuit, Huth accused Cosby of giving her alcohol as a minor. He would then take her to the Playboy Mansion, where he would force Huth to do inappropriate acts on him. She tried to resist, stating that she was on her period. However, Cosby would find other ways to sexually abuse the then-teenager.
Bill Cosby's Camp Still Claims He Won
The court did not hand Judy Huth any punitive damages. Because of this, Bill Cosby's camp has claimed that they have won. Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt also stated that they would appeal the verdict.
The trial was heated, as testimonies from Huth and her friend, Donna Samuelson, told of how they met Cosby on a Southern California film set in April 1975. Samuelson, who has stayed as Huth's friend since high school, took photos of them with Cosby at the Playboy Mansion.
However, Cosby's attorney Jennifer Bonjean challenged a few inconsistencies in the testimonies. Huth's lawyers argued that the jury should look past small errors as the events happened over 45 years ago. In the end, at least nine of the 12 jurors went with Huth.
Other women who have also been sexually assaulted by Cosby celebrated the legal victory, including Chelan Lasha, who testified against the comedian in the Pennsylvania case. She described Cosby as a boogeyman, a sexual predator, and a deviant. She says she stands with Judy and is proud of her.
Cosby's sexual assault cases have inspired many other women to come out and accuse men in power of sexual abuse. This would later become the #MeToo movement, which would go after notable sexual abusers such as Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Verdict Reached In First Civil Case Against Bill Cosby To Ever Reach A Trial