ENTERTAINMENT

Civil jury finds Bill Cosby sexually abused teenager in 1975

Jun 21, 2022, 5:15 PM | Updated: Jun 25, 2022, 8:53 pm

FILE -- Actor and comedian Bill Cosby returns to the courtroom after a break with his spokesman And...

FILE -- Actor and comedian Bill Cosby returns to the courtroom after a break with his spokesman Andrew Wyatt at the Montgomery County Courthouse, during his sexual assault trial sentencing in Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S. September 24, 2018. (Photo by David Maialetti-Pool/Getty Images)

(Photo by David Maialetti-Pool/Getty Images)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Jurors at a civil trial found Tuesday that Bill Cosby sexually abused a 16-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion in 1975.

The Los Angeles County jury delivered the verdict in favor of Judy Huth, who is now 64, and awarded her $500,000.

Jurors found that Cosby intentionally caused harmful sexual contact with Huth, that he reasonably believed she was under 18, and that his conduct was driven by unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in a minor.

The jurors’ decision is a major legal defeat for the 84-year-old entertainer once hailed as America’s dad. It comes nearly a year after his Pennsylvania criminal conviction for sexual assault was thrown out and he was freed from prison. Huth’s lawsuit was one of the last remaining legal claims against him after his insurer settled many others against his will.

Cosby did not attend the trial or testify in person, but short clips from 2015 video deposition were played for jurors, in which he denied any sexual contact with Huth. He continues to deny the allegation through his attorney and publicist.

Jurors had already reached conclusions on nearly every question on their verdict form, including whether Cosby abused Huth and whether she deserved damages, after two days of deliberations on Friday. But the jury foreperson could not serve further because of a personal commitment, and the panel had to start deliberating from scratch with an alternate juror on Monday.

Cosby’s attorneys agreed that Cosby met Huth and her high school friend on a Southern California film set in April of 1975, then took them to the Playboy Mansion a few days later.

Huth’s friend Donna Samuelson, a key witness, took photos at the mansion of Huth and Cosby, which loomed large at the trial.
Huth testified that in a bedroom adjacent to a game room where the three had been hanging out, Cosby attempted to put his hand down her pants, then exposed himself and forced her to perform a sex act.

Huth filed her lawsuit in 2014, saying that her son turning 15 — the age she initially remembered being when she went to the mansion — and a wave of other women accusing Cosby of similar acts brought fresh trauma over what she had been through as a teenager.

Huth’s attorney Nathan Goldberg told the jury of nine women and three men during closing arguments Wednesday that “my client deserves to have Mr. Cosby held accountable for what he did.”

“Each of you knows in your heart that Mr. Cosby sexually assaulted Miss Huth,” Goldberg said.

A majority of jurors apparently agreed, giving Huth a victory in a suit that took eight years and overcame many hurdles just to get to trial.

During their testimony, Cosby attorney Jennifer Bonjean consistently challenged Huth and Samuelson over errors in detail in their stories, and a similarity in the accounts that the lawyer said represented coordination between the two women.

This included the women saying in pre-trial depositions and police interviews that Samuelson had played Donkey Kong that day, a game not released until six years later.

Bonjean made much of this, in what both sides came to call the “Donkey Kong defense.”

Goldberg asked jurors to look past the small errors in detail that he said were inevitable in stories that were 45 years old, and focus on the major issues behind the allegations. He pointed out to jurors that Samuelson said “games like Donkey Kong” when she first mentioned it in her deposition.

The Cosby lawyer began her closing arguments by saying, “It’s on like Donkey Kong,” and finished by declaring, “game over.”
Huth’s attorney reacted with outrage during his rebuttal.

“This is about justice!” he shouted, pounding on the podium. “We don’t need game over! We need justice!”
The Associated Press does not normally name people who say they have been sexually abused, unless they come forward publicly, as Huth has.
___
AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton contributed to this report.

KSL 5 TV Live

Entertainment

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 03: Larry David, comedian, writer, actor, and television producer loo...

Alli Rosenbloom, CNN

Don’t bother Larry David with menial pleasantries. He’s not interested

Just like the version of himself that he plays on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” there are some things in life that Larry David can’t be bothered with.

16 hours ago

The ocean liner's demise remains a point of cultural fascination, more than a century later. (Movie...

Taylor Nicioli

This controversial ‘Titanic’ prop sold for more than $700,000 at a memorabilia auction

A door – or more accurately doorframe – from the 1997 movie "Titanic" sold for $718,000 at a Dallas auction.

1 day ago

Follow @KSL5TVLike us on Facebook...

Lauren Steinbrecher

Ogden community remembers life of man who saved historic Peery’s Egyptian Theater

Community members remembered the life of a man known for saving and restoring Peery's Egyptian Theater in Ogden.

3 days ago

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows, from left, Mckenna Grace, Logan Kim, Dan Aykroyd an...

Jake Coyle, The Associated Press

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is No. 1 with $45.2M, Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Immaculate’ lands in fourth

“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” collected $45.2 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing Sony Pictures the studio’s first No. 1 film since last summer.

4 days ago

Kevin Bacon announced to a gym full of students from Utah’s Payson High School, where his iconic ...

Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

Kevin Bacon says he’ll attend ‘Footloose’ set, Payson High School’s final prom

Kevin Bacon announced to a gym full of students from Utah’s Payson High School, where his iconic movie “Footloose” was filmed, that he will be making an appearance at the school’s final prom.

5 days ago

Ruby slippers once worn by Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" have made their way back to their...

Scottie Andrew, CNN

Dorothy’s ruby slippers from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ were stolen. 19 years later, they’re finally back home

A pair of ruby slippers, famously donned by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz,” has been returned to its owner for the first time since they were stolen in 2005.

9 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Civil jury finds Bill Cosby sexually abused teenager in 1975