Bill Cosby ordered to pay nearly $60 million after jury finds he drugged, sexually assaulted woman in 1972

A civil jury in California on Monday awarded a woman nearly $60 million in damages over her civil case against actor Bill Cosby, concluding that he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1972.

In her lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, 84-year-old Donna Motsinger said that when she served as a waitress in the 1970s, Cosby had given her wine and a pill that left her unable to move, per the Los Angeles Times. She said she woke up in only her underwear, and that "she knew she had been drugged and raped by Bill Cosby." 

Jurors awarded her $17.5 million in past damages and $1.75 million for future damages, including "mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, grief, anxiety, humiliation, and emotional distress." She was awarded an additional $40 million in punitive damages following the second phase of the trial on Monday afternoon, per the Associated Press.

The 2023 lawsuit alleged that while she was working at the Trident in Sausalito, which was frequented by celebrities such as Cosby, he invited her to go with him to his show in nearby San Carlos at the Circle Star Theater. She said she was picked up from her home in a limousine, and during the ride, she was given the wine and pill, which she thought was aspirin. 

The complaint stated, "Next thing she knew, she was going in and out of consciousness while two men attending to Mr. Cosby were putting her in the limousine. The last thing Ms. Motsinger recalls were flashes of light" before waking up in her house in her underwear. 

Cosby has denied the allegations in Motsinger’s case, as well as the allegations brought forth in dozens of other cases against him, who also alleged being drugged and raped. Cosby’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, said Cosby’s team intends to appeal Monday's decision.

Motsinger said in a statement, "This verdict is not just about me – it’s about finally being heard and holding Mr. Cosby accountable. I have carried the weight of what happened to me for more than 50 years. It never goes away. Today, a jury saw the truth and held him accountable. That means everything. I hope this gives strength to other survivors who are still waiting for their moment to be heard."