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Comedian Bill Cosby Accused of Rape
by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700
Copyright
November 16, 2014
All Rights Reserved.
Refusing to dignify renewed accusations of drugging
and rape by numerous women, 77-year-old comedian Bill Cosby continues to deny
the allegations. Over the last
several weeks, decade-old, discredited allegations against Mr. Cosby have
resurfaced,” said Cosby’s attorney John P. Schmitt in prepared statement. “The fact that they are being
repeated does not make them true,” not denying the charges. While Schmitt asserts allegations
themselves don’t make them true, it doesn’t make them untrue either. Schmitt offers as more proof of
Cosby’s innocence that he was never charged with sexual assault. After canceling scheduled
appearances on CBS’s “David Letterman Show” and “The Queen Latifah Show,” Cosby
submitted to a bizarre PBS interview on “Weekend Edition.” Asked about the allegations by NPR
host Scott Simon, Cosby remained mum, refusing to talk.
What makes the allegations more credible is the fact that multiple
victims appear with similar allegations of drugging and rape, jeopardizing
Cosby’s plausible deniability.
Writing the Washington Post, 46-year-old former aspiring actress Barbara
Bowmen described her drugging and rape as a blond 17-year-old in great detail
when her agent set her up with an interview with the legendary star of “The
Cosby Show [1984-92]. She described
to the Post getting drugged and raped in Cosby’s New York City brownstone. When asked why she waited so long,
she admitted fearing reprisals, especially in a “small world” industry known for
nepotism and cronyism fir success.
Giving Bowman space on their op-ed page suggests Post editors find her story
credible. Bowman asked to testify
in 2005 at the trial of Andrea Constand, another woman who accused Cosby of
drugging and raping her.
Settling out-of-court for an undisclosed sum in 2006, Cosby refuses to
discus anything with the media about drugging and rape allegations, including
Constand who settled out-of-court for an unknown amount. NPR’s Simon tried his utmost to get
Cosby to talk about the current allegations, noting stonewalling hurts his
credibility. “You’re shaking your
head no. I’m in the news business. I have to ask the question: Do you have any response to the
those charges,” Simon asked Cosby on “Weekend Edition.” Noting that his silence could be interpreted by the public unfavorably, Simon invited
Cosby to talk. “There are people
who love you who might like to hear from you about this—I want to give you’re
the chance,” said Simon, eliciting no response.
Were it not for some 14 women accusing the comedian of sexual assault,
Cosby could continue to deny the charges.
Refusing to talk with the media looks like stonewalling, hiding something
from the public. Bowman’s explicit
descriptions in a Washington Post op-ed give far too many details to be an
outright fabrication. Retired
58-year-old attorney Tamara Green accused Cosby or drugging and raping her in
1970. “He is in fact a sexual
predator,” Green told People Magazine.
“I don’t dispute the fact the man has done much good, but he’s a flawed
man,” said Green, reminding folks that 14 women have come forward with similar
stories about Cosby. Raising
questions about victims’ credibility, attorneys defend predators pointing out
that it took victims years to come forward.
Fearful of retaliation for career reasons but, more importantly,
punishing shame connected with rape and molestation often keep memories
repressed or at least keep victims silent about sharing their trauma.
Longstanding priest sexual abuse allegations prompted the Catholic Church
either to blame victims or accuse them of grossly exaggerating claims. Cosby’s past denials show the same
feeble quality, blaming victims, avoiding any responsibility. “Looking back on it, I realize that
words and actions can be misinterpreted by another person,” Cosby told the
National Enquirer in March 2005, his only interview on the drugging and rape
allegations. “And unless you’re a
supreme being, you can’t predict what another individual will do,” said Cosby,
never denying sex abuse allegations.
Cosby’s responses are all “misunderstandings” or “misinterpretations,”
not admissions that he drugged and assaulted women over whom he had power, all
looking for special treatment to advance entertainment careers There’s no
“misinterpretations” to victims when it comes to sexual assault
What makes the Cosby story so compelling is the same reason the sports
world was mesmerized about pro-golfer Tiger Woods’ sexual peccadilloes. While nothing like criminal
allegations against Cosby, Tiger stunned the sports world Nov. 25, 2009 when the
married-with-two-children upstanding golfer with a veritable advertising empire
was accused of serial cheating with New York and Las Vegas cocktail hostesses
and call girls. Like Cosby’s
lovable Dr. Huxtable character in “The Cosby Show,” Woods serial adultery
upended his pro-golfing career.
Both Cosby and Woods were held by the public in high esteem before the media
exposed their sexual indiscretions.
“These allegation have caused by family great emotional stress,” Cosby told the
National Enquirer in 2005. Fourteen
women coming out with sexual assault allegations simply can’t be a
“misinterpretation.”
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