Bill Cosby Sued By Alleged Victim Who Claims He Assaulted Her In 1990

BYErika Marie2.3K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Brendan Smialowski / Stringer / Getty Images
Bill Cosby
Lili Bernard alleges that after meeting Cosby he "offered to be a mentor" but their acting classes weren't what she expected.

He may have been released from prison due to a prosecution error, but Bill Cosby has several legal battles ahead of him. The entertainment legend has been facing off against accusations of sexual misconduct, sexual assault, rape, and drugging women. Throughout the years, dozens of women have come forward with their stories, and with each new tale, Cosby has maintained his innocence.

The Cosby Show icon is once again facing a lawsuit, this time from a woman named Lili Bernard. Insider reported that Bernard filed the suit today (October 14) and detailed the alleged interactions she had with Cosby back in 1990.

Brad Barket / Stringer / Getty Images

Insider stated that Bernard alleged Cosby offered to her "mentor" early on, but she claimed that wasn't his intention.

According to the lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey and viewed by Insider, Lili Bernard says she first met Cosby on the set of "The Cosby Show" and that he "offered to be a mentor" for her acting career. Bernard and Cosby started meeting for acting coaching sessions, and it was in one of these sessions at the end of July 1990 that Bernard alleges she was first sexually assaulted by Cosby.

Bernard alleges Cosby grabbed her "rib cage and diaphragm without her permission" during a vocal exercise, then "grabbed and squeezed" her breasts. When Bernard confronted him about it, Cosby "feigned innocence and acted insulted," according to the lawsuit.

The most harrowing details in Bernard's lawsuit center on a trip the two took to Atlantic City in August 1990. Bernard says Cosby convinced her to go, saying he wanted to introduce her to a producer who would help her career. 

In response to the lawsuit, a statement was shared on Cosby's Instagram hours ago. Cosby's attorney, Andrew Wyatt, vehemently denied Bernard's allegations and wrote, "These look back provisions are unconstitutional. They are a sheer violation of an individual’s Constitutional Rights and deny that individual of their Due Process rights."

"This is just another attempt to abuse the legal process by opening up the flood gates for people, who never presented an ounce of evidence, proof, truth and/or facts, in order to substantiate their alleged allegations."

Bernard did try to legally hold Cosby responsible in 2015, but a prosecutor terminated the investigation due to the statute of limitations. However, in the state, there are no limitations when it pertains to a victim filing a suit against their alleged attacker, reports Insider. Read through Andrew Wyatt's full response below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVBOazwF3zj

[via]


About The Author
Erika Marie
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
...