Bill Cosby is in more hot water. A woman named Judy Huth has been awarded significantly after a civil jury ruled against the disgraced stand-up comedian. Cosby’s legal team pushed through the trenches with their defensive arguments, even using what’s been labeled the “Donkey Kong Defense.” But when all was said and done, he was found guilty.
According to a New York Times report, 64-year-old Judy Huth gave an account of an indecent incident that she claims happened in 1975, although initially claiming it occurred in 1974. Huth claims that she and her friend, Donna Samuelson, met Bill Cosby in a Los Angeles park near their residence, where he was filming a movie. They were then invited by the Cosby Show star to join him at a tennis club a few days after meeting him. At the time, she stated she was 16 years old, although her initial claims would have placed her at 15.
Huth recalled the friends joining Bill Cosby at the club, where they then accompanied him to a house. There, the comedian and actor initiated a drinking game where they would have to consume beer every time they lost a round of billiards. But according to Huth, the night escalated as they soon found themselves on the way to the Playboy Mansion. A photo entered into evidence showed both Bill Cosby and Judy Huth in the Mansion’s game room. There, they reportedly engaged in various arcade games, including “Donkey Kong,” which was stated in a 2014 interview with police, as per ABC News. However, Huth gave sordid details of what allegedly transpired next for “maybe five minutes” at the hands of Bill Cosby.
Although the incident happened in the mid-70s, Judy Huth waited four decades to file a civil lawsuit against Bill Cosby. Multiple reports have stated that due to the statute of limitations, she could not pursue a criminal case. However, this move was scrutinized by the stand-up comedian’s legal team, who questioned her motivation for filing in 2014 amid other accusers who came forward. But Huth and her legal team testified that she suffered years of “anxiety [and] depression,” among other mental issues, stemming from the incident. According to USA Today, she was grilled by Cosby’s attorneys as they accused her of “lying” and presenting differing accounts. This would not be the only thing they would accuse Judy Huth of during the trial.
If you recall earlier that Judy Huth and Donna Samuelson testified that “Donkey Kong” was one of the video games they played at the Playboy Mansion on the night in question. However, Bill Cosby’s legal team brought that into question, as the video game hadn’t been released until 1981 which was nearly seven years later. Huth’s legal team tried to dispute the claims that their client was building a false narrative against Bill Cosby. But according to NBC News, Samuelson indicated being confused, stating she said it because “it was a game – It could have been Atari.”
After hearing all of the testimony, viewing evidence, and days of deliberation, the jury reached their verdict on June 21st. Multiple reports show that Bill Cosby was found guilty in a Santa Monica courtroom. Although his legal team was present to hear the jury’s decision, the former stand-up comedian was not there. According to Deadline, Judy Huth’s lawyer, Gloria Allred, expressed her excitement in a statement thanking her team, her client, and the jury for awarding Huth. Along with the guilty verdict handed to Cosby, she was awarded $500,000 in compensatory damages.
Bill Cosby’s lawyers also commented on the jury’s verdict, looking on the upside. “This was a huge victory for us because they [were] looking for millions of dollars,” said a member of his legal team, Deadline reports. This has been one of many civil cases Bill Cosby has faced, as he’s settled most. But according to The New York Times, one more trial is in the early stages as it was filed last year by a New Jersey woman.
