The women made “malicious, opportunistic, and false and defamatory accusations of sexual misconduct against” Cosby, his lawyer Monique Pressley said in a statement.
Advertisement
Bill Cosby has struck back against some of the dozens of women who’ve accused him of sexual assault.
“The countersuit is the latest salvo in a legal battle that has been brewing in Springfield, Mass., since previous year”.
Ten women have sued Cosby for defamation in four separate cases, asserting that they were branded liars when his representatives forcefully dismissed their allegations. That is, by falsely accusing Cosby of sexually abusing them, the counterclaim alleges that their claims “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”.
Cosby writ States that the women had the aim to defame him and his “Honorable legacy and his reputation” want to damage.
Seven women who are suing Cosby – Tamara Green, Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Louisa Moritz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis and Angela Leslie are named in his 89-page countersuit that was recently filed in MA.
Joseph Cammarata, who represents the accusers, told The Hollywood Reporter, “If anyone is surprised by Cosby’s actions today, they shouldn’t be”. Universities in New York, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have also rescinded honorary degrees they awarded to Cosby.
“To suggest that these ladies – each and every one of them – got together and orchestrated a campaign against Mr. Cosby is hard to fathom”, Cammarata said.
Cosby also denied he had sexually assaulted any of the seven women.
Cosby has been accused by over fifty women in the last year of sexual assault and misconduct over a period of the last thirty-plus years.
His lawyers say that his reputation and career have been damaged by the women, noting that they filed their defamation lawsuit against Cosby at a time when he was set to return to television in a new NBC series. More accusers came forward.
Advertisement
Serignese said Cosby drugged and raped her in 1976 and that she called him after her mother said Cosby maybe would “take care of you”.
