Bill Cosby Faces Sexual Battery Lawsuit: Judy Huth Claims Comedian Molested Her When She Was 15
Judy Huth, a southern California woman, has filed a sexual battery lawsuit against Bill Cosby on Tuesday alleging that the comedian molested her at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in 1974 when she was 15. It is reportedly the first lawsuit against the actor after several rape and sexual assault allegations resurfaced in recent weeks.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, states that Huth and her friend met Cosby at a film shoot and were invited for drinks a week later at a tennis club in 1974. The five-page complaint reportedly also states that the actor took the girls to the Playboy Mansion after several drinks, and asked the teenagers to lie about their age and say they were 19 if asked. Huth claimed in the lawsuit that Cosby forced her to perform a sex act with him.
"This traumatic incident, as such a tender age, has caused psychological damage and mental anguish for the plaintiff that has caused her significant problems throughout her life," the complaint said, according to Reuters.
Huth claimed in the lawsuit that she faced severe emotional distress and discovered the incident's impact on her within the past three years, allowing her to file a lawsuit under California law. The lawsuit also comes a day after the embattled comedian resigned from the Temple University Board of Trustees.
“I have always been proud of my association with Temple University,” Cosby said in a statement on Monday. “I have always wanted to do what would be in the best interests of the university and its students.”
In 2004, Cosby was accused of sexual assault by a Temple University employee, but the case was later settled in 2006.
In recent weeks, several other women have come forward accusing the comedian of sexually abusing or raping them decades ago, a revelation that has put a dent in Cosby’s career, with several of his shows and performances being cancelled.
Cosby's lawyer, Martin Singer, has denied previous accusations against Cosby, calling them “unsubstantiated or fabricated stories,” and has accused the media of reporting stories without any substantial evidence.
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