Bill Cosby’s attorneys have announced they are seeking a new trial in a California civil lawsuit that found a jury in June sexually assaulting 16-year-old Judy Hughes.
In filings with the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica, California, his attorneys informed the court that they were asking the court to reverse the judgment in Huth’s favor that awarded $500,000 in damages. did.
Lawyers gave a number of reasons, including “misconduct in court, jury, or opposing party proceedings,” “jury misconduct,” and “error of law,” but did not provide details. .
A jury in the case agreed with Huth, who first filed the complaint in 2014. In 1975, Mr. Cosby assaulted her when she was invited to her Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles when she was a teenager. It was the first civil case in which Cosby was charged with sexual assault.
Aside from its significance to Huth, the ruling brought some gratification to many other women who have accused Cosby, now 85, of similar abuse over the years. After Cosby’s conviction in the Andrea Constant case was overturned under due process by a Pennsylvania board of appeals last year, the Hughes case offers them an opportunity to publicly prove their account. did.
Huth’s attorney, Gloria Allred, said in an email: During his seven and a half years he fought and lost our case with everything he had. We look forward to winning by upholding the verdict against Mr. Cosby, whom we fought so hard to win. “
However, Cosby’s supporters said they believe the monetary damages award in the Hughes case is a win.
Cosby has consistently denied many of the accusations against him, but many of the accusers were barred from filing lawsuits because they did not come forward when he said he attacked them. .
Ms. Hughes’ case was able to move forward because the jury agreed she was a minor at the time. Cosby’s spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, said the change to California’s statute of limitations took effect while Cosby was in prison in Pennsylvania, so Cosby’s He said it was unfair to Mr.
During the trial, Huth, now 64, said a chance meeting with Mr. Cosby while he was filming a movie in a local park eventually led her to an isolated bedroom at the Playboy Mansion. In emotional testimony, she described how a famous man she once admired, whose father collected comedy records, tried to put his hand in his pants and forced him to have sex.
