Bill Cosby in Legal Trouble; Singer Morganne Picard Alleges Comedian-Actor Drugged and Raped Her
Picard is specifically suing Cosby for battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She's suing the other defendants for negligent hiring and negligence.
Comedian Bill Cosby has been accused of sexual assault by another woman, who claims he drugged and raped her in the late 1980s. As per People, according to a new lawsuit filed in New York City, singer Morganne Picard accused Cosby, 86, of inviting her to the set of The Cosby Show in 1987, and alleges that he "insisted and encouraged" her to drink beverages that made her feel "extremely intoxicated" on "multiple occasions" between then and 1990. Bill Cosby Faces Lawsuit in Nevada as Nine Women Accuse Him of Drugging and Sexual Assault.
Picard claimed that the disgraced comedian invited her to the set of his The Cosby Show "under the pretense" of helping her career as an aspiring singer. Picard also alleged that she blacked out and was raped after drinking a beverage from Cosby at his home, and later woke up "naked with soreness in her vagina" in a hotel room.
"Upon information and belief, when Ms Picard was physically incapacitated by the unknown intoxicant, Cosby undressed and raped her, without her consent and when she did not have the capacity to consent," the lawsuit alleged. The document also named Kaufman Astoria Studios, Astoria Studios LP II, the Carsey-Warner Company and NBCUniversal as defendants, as they did "not investigate, reprimand, supervise nor in any way try to stop Cosby from sexually abusing, assaulting and/or battering women." Kevin Spacey Acquitted of Sexual Assault Charges: Actor Thanks UK Trial Jury, Says ‘I Am Happy for the Verdict’ (Watch Video).
Picard is specifically suing Cosby for battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She's suing the other defendants for negligent hiring and negligence. Cosby has denied the accusations through rep Andrew Wyatt. "It is disappointing to see that these alleged distractors are able to monetise false allegations against Mr. Cosby," Andrew Wyatt said in a statement.
Wyatt added, "Mr Cosby continues to invoke his Constitutional Rights by saying 'Not Guilty' and vehemently denying all of these alleged allegations waged against him." Cosby was previously accused of sexual misconduct by over 60 women in 2015, many of whom claimed that he drugged and raped them.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 06, 2023 02:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).