A federal judge in Las Vegas has ruled that a sexual misconduct lawsuit against Bill Cosby, filed by ten women, can proceed, marking a significant legal development in the ongoing allegations against the 87-year-old comedian. The lawsuit, initially brought last year, accuses Cosby of sexual misconduct, with the women alleging that he assaulted them over several decades.
The case gained traction following Nevada’s adoption of Senate Bill 129 in 2023, known as the Justice for Victims of Crime bill, which abolished the statute of limitations for civil claims brought by survivors of sexual violence. This legislative change allowed the group of women to file their lawsuit, which includes claims of sexual assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment.
The plaintiffs allege that between the early 1970s and the early 1990s, Cosby lured them into isolated environments, drugged or attempted to drug them, and then sexually assaulted them. These allegations mirror those made by other women across the country who have accused Cosby of similar crimes.
Cosby’s legal team moved to have the case dismissed on both procedural and substantive grounds. While U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro dismissed the specific sexual assault claims, citing that sexual assault is a crime rather than a state tort, she allowed the majority of the lawsuit to move forward. Judge Navarro sided with the plaintiffs on nearly all legal arguments, leaving intact claims such as battery, emotional distress, and false imprisonment.
This ruling comes at a time when Cosby continues to face legal battles over sexual misconduct allegations, despite his 2021 release from prison after his Pennsylvania conviction was overturned on procedural grounds. The Nevada lawsuit represents a new chapter in the legal fight against the disgraced entertainer, made possible by the state’s recent legislative changes aimed at providing justice to survivors of sexual violence.
With the case now cleared to proceed, Cosby faces yet another courtroom battle, and the plaintiffs will have the opportunity to pursue their claims in court.
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The post Judge Allows Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit Against Bill Cosby to Move Forward in Nevada first appeared on The Source.
The post Judge Allows Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit Against Bill Cosby to Move Forward in Nevada appeared first on The Source.