A US jury awarded $19.3 million to comedian Bill Cosby in a 1972 assault case

A US jury has awarded $19.3 million in damages to famed Hollywood actor and comedian Bill Cosby after finding him responsible for sexually assaulting a woman in 1972.

The plaintiff, Donna Motsinger, alleged in her lawsuit that Cosby drugged and assaulted her after inviting her to a comedy show in San Carlos, California. At the time, she was working as a waitress at the Trident restaurant in nearby Sausalito, where Cosby was a regular customer.

According to court filings, Cosby offered her a drink during the limo ride to the show, after which she began to feel unwell. He said he then lost consciousness intermittently and eventually woke up at home with little memory of what had happened.

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The trial began earlier this month, with the jury awarding damages of $19.25 million and deciding that punitive damages should also be imposed. A separate hearing will determine the final sentence amount.

Cosby, 88, denied the allegations, while his legal team described the claims as speculative and said they would appeal the ruling. The case was filed in 2023 under a California law that temporarily lifts the statute of limitations for certain sexual harassment claims, allowing older cases to move forward.