Bill Cosby has allegedly drugged, sexually assaulted and/or raped more than 50 women. Many of them have gone public about their experiences, but the US statute of limitations – which means that someone can’t be found guilty of a crime a certain number of years after it is alleged to have taken place – means that he can’t be charged.
What he can, and will do, though, is counter-sue seven of the women who allege that he committed one or more of the above atrocious acts against them. Why? Because they’d sued him for defamation after he hired a lawyer and publicist to deny what they said.
He is now counter-suing, saying that the timing of their allegations caused him to lose work with Netflix and NBC, which severed ties with him in the light of the serious allegations.
His lawyers filed the lawsuit in Massachusetts, saying: ‘As a result of their false, opportunistic and malicious accusations, Mr Cosby’s reputation has been irretrievably damaged, and his planned re-emergence to network television destroyed as they intended.
‘Each of the women induced both NBC and Netflix to postpone or cancel their contracts with Mr Cosby by engaging in a campaign to assassinate Mr Cosby’s reputation and character.’
It’s a horribly messy situation, but there’s one glaringly huge point to take here: how will Cosby prove it was these seven women who lost him his contracts with NBC and Netflix and not the other 43+ women who accused him of a whole slew of disgusting crimes? Why sue them but not all of them?
It’s the inconsistency of his counter-accusations, and the horrendous consistency of the way in which he allegedly harmed these 50+ women, which show just how precious he’s being. For him to assume victimhood in all of this, when he allegedly used his power to ensnare women before drugging them and assaulting them – and worse – is pretty disgusting.
Joseph Cammarata, the lawyer acting for the women who claim they’ve been defamed by Bill Cosby, told Page Sixthat Cosby’s latest actions are ‘a defence tactic to shift the focus from the actions of the defendant.’
He added: ‘Can anyone spell “retaliation”?’
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.