Bill Cosby was partially granted a motion in a Massachusetts defamation case Monday, reaffirming former co-stars’ continued support of the comedian.
An estimated 50 women have accused the former star of The Cosby Show of rape and sexual assault. Yesterday, Cosby was granted a partial motion in a defamation case against the women, who he believes are trying to damage his public persona and his reputation.
A Massachusetts judge stated in a court ruling that Cosby has to avoid the “precarious dilemma” of having to choose to assert his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. The judge wants the comedian to not put forth evidence that would incriminate Cosby and further accusers’ claims.
CBS News reports that this motion puts Cosby in a difficult position. This defamation suit occurs at the same time as a Pennsylvania case involving a former Temple University employee. In December, the comedian was charged with drugging and sexual assault. The accuser, Andrea Constand, stated in a 2005 lawsuit that Cosby drugged her at his mansion in Pennsylvania in 2004. Now that charges have been brought against him, this Pennsylvania case is his main focus now.
On July 6, court documents released from the 2005 case involving Constand revealed that the comedian confessed to purchasing the prescription drugs.
The actress and former co-star on The Cosby Show, Keisha Knight Pulliam, responded to the rape allegations in a recent interview with socialite Amber Rose. According to Pulliam’s statement on last Friday’s episode of her podcast Kandidly Keshia, the actress echoes sentiments of other co-stars:
“I feel you, and everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but we still live in a country where you’re innocent till proven guilty. And I understand everything that has happened, and me being a feminist and believing women — no means no and I get that — but, just so you know, I worked with him for a really long time… I love him dearly still and that isn’t the man that I know.”
Last month, former co-star and actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner stated in an interview with the daytime talk show The Real that Cosby’s treatment in the public eye is unbalanced compared to other white celebs. Plus, Warner said Cosby’s treatment has affected his finances:
“It’s literally taking money out of my pocket,” Warner said. “So I got my own personal feelings about that, because it personally affects me. There is no one that has been calling for Woody [Allen]’s movies to be pulled off the air. Roman Polanski is still celebrated. Stephen Collins’ show still comes on. So it’s just interesting how it’s very unbalanced.”
Cosby vehemently denied the allegations of his accusers.
