Joan Tarshis, the woman who became the first to publicly accuse Bill Cosby of sexual wrongdoing in 2014, has filed a new lawsuit against the disgraced comedian. Tarshis' new suit alleges that Cosby drugged and raped her on multiple occasions during the 1970s. She claims the first incident happened when she was 19 and was invited to the set of The Cosby Show. The second, reportedly a year later, happened at an event where Cosby was performing. In both instances, Tarshis claims to have been drugged via a drink from Cosby and later woken to find him assaulting her. Tarshis is suing Cosby for an unspecified sum.
As mentioned, Tarshis was the first woman to accuse Cosby back in 2014. That led to the infamous interview with Don Lemon in which the CNN host asked Tarshis if she could have "stopped" Cosby forcing her to perform oral sex on him. After an incredibly awkward few moments for everyone, Tarshis admitted that she wished she could have but simply didn't feel able to in the moment.
More Legal Trouble For Cosby
However, 2023 has seen an uptick in legal battles for Cosby. Back in September, Donna Motsinger claimed that Cosby had drugged and raped her after inviting to her a stand-up show. She claims that Cosby raped her in his dressing room at the Circle Star Theater. Furthermore, Motsinger alleges to remember waking up at her home in a state of undress. She is suing Cosby for an unspecified amount for emotional damage and distress.
Going back further in 2023, Cosby was also served a suit in August by singer Morganne Picard. Picard alleged that she formed a close bond with Cosby and his wife on the set of The Cosby Show. However, Picard claims that Cosby used that relationship to ply her with alcohol and rape her on multiple occasions. All of these suits are currently being litigated. We'll have any updates as and when they emerge.
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