Bill Cosby is taking action against seven of the women who have accused him of sexual assault or misconduct.
On Monday, the 78-year-old actor filed a defamation suit again Tamara Green, Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Louisa Moritz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis and Angela Leslie, according to his lawyer Monique Pressley.
In the suit, Cosby claims the women have made "malicious, opportunistic and false and defamatory accusations of sexual misconduct against him." He also claims each defendant "knowingly published false statements and accusations."
Now it is reasonable to consider that at least a few of the women accusing Cosby might not be telling the truth, however at this point there are over 50 different women who have accused Bill Cosby of drugging them, and or, sexually assaulting them.
Since Cosby is only suing seven of them, does that mean he is more or less admitting that all of the others are legitimate?
And if so, why bother even going after these seven?
I mean it's not like proving that seven of you fifty accusers are lying will clear your name or anything.
Or perhaps this is just the beginning and Cosby has every intention of fighting ALL of these accusations, which in my opinion is a really, really stupid idea.
Because he more or less already admitted that he was guilty.
I can't believe any atty would advise him to do this.
ReplyDeleteI will say though, that many sexual predators don't see that they are doing any harm or wrong for that matter. But I hope whomever he is suing calls Janice Dickenson as a witness, she was very believable and straight forward.
But I think he is such and egotistical idiot that he may not realize that he will be under oath also.
It's a bullying tactic to try to get them to back off.
DeleteBig corporations do it all the time because they have deeper pockets.
How misogynistic to assume not every woman is telling the truth. Why on Earth would they lie about such a hortendous thing?
ReplyDeleteYeah I thought I might get some blowback with that one.
DeleteHowever the uncomfortable fact is that some women have been known to lie about being raped. It is not as many as some would like to suggest, but it does happen.
However I did soften my language by replacing the word "assume" with the word "consider" which I think better explains my point, which ultimately is that there are simply to many accusers to believe that Cosby is not guilty.
I have to agree with Gryphen. I don't want to go into specific cases, but we all know it does happen and it is more misogynistic to assume that women are too virtuous or otherwise incapable of lying.
DeleteAnyway, I feel confident that Cosby's strategy is to pick apart the weakest cases in order to put "blood in the water". If just one or two of these cases fall apart then in the media this story becomes one of "She said, he said--I guess both sides probably share responsibility..."
Out of 50 accusers, some cases will be easier to win than others. Some cases, while legit, might be destined to lose for a variety of reasons. Put all the cases on a continuum, from easy-to-win to hard-to-win, which I bet the Cosby lawyers did. Pick the seven at the one end, and go for it.
DeleteMoney. Sympathy. Revenge. To salvage her reputation?
DeletePeople lie about stuff every day. Even about horrendous stuff. I've even known people who would lie when the truth would would be more in their best interest.
But here are a couple examples.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_lacrosse_case#Crystal_Mangum
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/16/hofstra-rape-student-lied_n_289473.html
http://www.tmz.com/2014/07/14/conor-oberst-bright-eyes-rape-charges-allegations-lied/
http://www.cotwa.info/2013/02/woman-jailed-after-11-false-rape-claims.html
Again, Billy boy Clinton has had accusers going back decades, that go unnoticed by Hillary, and that extends to all her fans that refuse to acknowledge these charges also.
DeleteSo it is OK for Hillary and all the Hill supporters, not for Gryph?
Piss off, 7:49.
DeleteThanks for proving my point meghan.
DeleteWhat is good for the goose, is NOT?, good for the gander?
Bristol accused Levi of raping her.Then,she was engaged to her rapist,TWICE.
DeleteI'd bet that he doesn't see what he did was rape.
ReplyDeleteBut Gryphen, I kind of object to your assumption that some of the women were lying. Rape is an enormously underreported crime, and I'm sure you're aware of it. It would not be easy to publicly say that Bill Cosby raped you: he has supporters and MRAs that would counterattack. I tend to believe that if a woman said Bill Cosby drugged and raped her, that's what happened. Because most women won't report rapes at all, and if they do, they're considered guilty of lying because they were drinking/wearing the wrong clothes/in the wrong neighborhood/asking for it/women. And the vast majority of rapists are not prosecuted, and there are thousands of rape kits that were never tested because it's just rape. If a woman is able to say publicly that Cosby raped her... I think he very likely did.
Waiting for somebody to point out that some of the women were in Cosby's presence voluntarily and there's no proof of anything and men get raped too in 3...2...1...
You are so right, Ivyfree. This is a very underreported crime and I would hope as the father of a daughter, Gryphen could at least pretend to be a bit more sensitive. But again, what would expect from a former strip club employee?
DeleteI also taught preschool and women's self defense.
DeleteGood luck with that pigeonholing.
Big freaking deal. Teaching preschool and self defense are meaningless if you suggest that ANY woman would lie about being raped. If it were your daughter you wouldn't be saying that. And she's a big liar that everyone knows is a liar.
DeleteHe didn't say the women were lying. All women were lying. He didn't even say some women were lying. He said it's conceivable that some (a few?) MIGHT be lying, but inconceivable that all 50 of them are substantially lying.
DeleteAltho I didn't report my rape 40 yrs ago,I did contact police this year asking if there were any unsolved rapes,murders,child molesters, ect over the yrs in that area that fit the description of what happened to me. I'm glad I did. It could solve other cold cases .
DeleteBill should be eating his Jello pudding in a jail cell.
ReplyDeleteAnyone save a "blue" dress?
ReplyDeleteAs the victim of a date rape when I was 19, that I did not report, I think Gryphen is a big jerk to suggest not all of the women are being truthful.
ReplyDeleteDo you feel the same about Hillary Clinton, who refuses to acknowledge the women who claim they were sexually assaulted by Bill?
DeleteNo one EVER went after Bill Clinton for RAPE! His acts - that were reported so publically - think there were two - were consensual!
DeleteWrong 8:09!
Delete7:20, I think Gryphen casually used a phrase that did not accurately express his meaning.
DeleteI didn't hear Grphy saying that women lie about rape generally. I heard that some (a few) MIGHT be lying, but it's inconceivable that they are all lying. I agree with Grphy. I'm not saying anyone is lying. I also am not in denial that some women do lie. It's not my first guess in this case. I didn't hear that it was Grphy's first guess. he was responding to allegattion of lying and saying that EVEN IF some (a few) were lying, there was too much for Cosby to get away with such allegations.
DeleteLucy That's what I heard, anyway.
P.S. Grphy didn't say that the women were lying. He suggested that a fwe MIGHT not be telling the truth. Big difference. Maybe it's malicious. Maybe it's faulty memory (happens a lot). Maybe it's something else. and Grphy thinks in the end it's irrelevant given the mass of information and allegations.
DeleteAre you really suggesting that no woman who reported a rape has lied about it? or had a faulty memory and not told the factual truth? Lucy
DeleteCosby may have very deep pockets. The counter suits may be an attempt to see whether, as a result, some may drop their complaints, or be willing to settle out of court.
ReplyDeleteMany men lie about not having raped. I'm guessing more of them than women lying about being raped but, of course, no way to collect statistics.
ReplyDeleteI'm also guessing many, many, many more women/girls are raped and don't report than there are people claiming to be raped. Reporting a rape even just to friends, much less to official authorities is a difficult decision often having to be made when under emotional and physical duress.
Girls need teaching and support from the time they can first talk to understand rape and its ramifications. All too many of my friends have said their family urged them to say nothing (1960s). That's heartbreaking.
Not just girls and women. Men who have been raped are even less likely to report it.
DeleteThink of it from Cosby's point of view: should he spend his fortune to buy more art or try to clear his name? He clearly is trying to maintain he was not guilty. How many options does he have to do that? Not many, at this point. Pick the few weakest cases (forget about the lying aspect -- the Cosby side holds they are ALL lying, prob even the ones Cosby tried to pay off to keep quiet). Destroy those women making the weakest cases. Yes it muddies the waters re the other cases, and it once again makes it obvious to women that it's best to keep quiet about it.
ReplyDeleteNothing different here from the majority of rape cases: the perp and the system fight dirty to preserve their right to rape. Works great, as we all know.
The fear of being called a liar or having proof demanded causes many people to not report a rape. The mental stress of being raped can mean a person is unable to even discuss it until long after any physical evidence is gone.
ReplyDeleteWomen have no need to be reminded that they could be called a liar for reporting rape. They have seen that situation plenty of times by their mid-20s.
Good post 7:43AM
DeletePerhaps he went after these specific women because they are, in fact, lying. Or, because they have money and he feels he can get something from them?
ReplyDeleteAll I know is the entire situation is a mess for him, his family and all the women involved! Cannot imagine!
He went after them as a counterclaim in a specific lawsuit for tactical reasons. he had little to lose. He has a lot ot lose alleging as the plaintiff that others are lying. He opens up a can of worms. He doesn't open up a can of worms in the case of hte 7 because the can has already been opened by the plaintiffs.
DeleteHow
ReplyDeleteCome
TODD AND SARAH
PALIN
Hasn't
Filed
Lawsuits
Against
The
Prostitutes
Who
Said
Todd
Was
Their
Pimp?
I have been a massage therapist registered in three states for nearly 20 yes and I do not believe that anyone forced Shailey Tripp to do a damn thing. I'm sure she was propositioned but no body forced her to take money for sex. Not even a jerk like Todd Palin.
DeleteSecondly, Gryphen intimating that some of Cosby's accusers are lying is reprehensible. I would expect that to come out of Trump or even Fiorina's mouth. Shame on you Gryphen.
Because Shailey is a sociopath and habitual liar 8:05, no good comes of dealing with persons of such nature.
Delete"And if so, why bother even going after these seven?"
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that's become clear as all of this unfolded: Cosby is above all a control freak and and an authoritarian who is accustomed to people doing what he says. There has been no trace of shame in his demeanor or public statements; instead, there's been palpable rage that someone dared to cross him and to assail the fake public image he's worked so hard to nurture. This lawsuit is simply lashing back in fury at the uppity women who had the gall to call him out. It's going to make the public perspective of him even worse, but he's not thinking about that. He's only thinking about how angry he is.
Out of 50+ cases, there are going to be some that are hard to win (doesn't matter the reason, fair or unfair). So let's consider the possibility that Cosby's lawyer can kick these few cases apart, or at least render them ambiguous. Actually, it seems likely to me that (with deep pockets, technicalities, a well-managed slur campaign in the press) the Cosby team can "win" these few cases, at least in the public consciousness.
DeleteEven assuming the cases have merit, the Cosby team might win them. Worth a try, considering they have few other options.
I have often thought about Cosby's not trying to come to closure on this, esp at his age. To muddy the waters would be great for him. He could die at any point. Going down fighting it means he preserves deniability to the end. Better than admitting he was a scum for so many years.
"And if so, why bother even going after these seven?"
DeleteI was in a landlord situation with a perp type. It wasn't a sex situation, but he had sex issues and did send inappropriate offensive ugly digital garbage.
The issue we were dealing with was he was to move out. Long story, but he was the son of a deceased friend and there had been a concern in the beginning like a mother.
What I am trying to say, perps will go after anyone that may bring up their flaws, does what they don't like and such. Control freak perps of all types are like Cosby. In that they will go after and attack their victims. When victims get some control over their own life and can stand up for themselves, it gets worse.
It is typical for a perp to go after victims/survivors in whatever way is available. Cosby can afford lawyers and to be in court for the rest of his life. Why these particular seven is anyone's guess. I suspect his lawyers know why.
Cosby will not go into treatment and behave as if has remorse because he is still sick and has no remorse.
He went after these seven as a counterclaim as defendant. Not unusual tactic.
Deleteand his lawyer will get paid a bundle whether his advice is good or not...
ReplyDeleteHe probably thinks that if he can undercut one woman--well, a handful in this case given that there are over 50--he will undercut them all and the public will think all the women are liars/out to get something.
ReplyDeleteThe man has no shame. He's a monster. I have to say that he is another man whose death, when it happens, will make the world a better place.
I think the reason he chose these 7, and not other, is because it is a counterclaim in an existing suit. he has little to lose and it's a typical tactic. Were he to become a plaintiff and allege defamation, it opens him up to inquiry. But in the current suit, he's already opened up to inquiry, so it's posturing and possible intimidation, and a tactic. Not really anything to see here.
ReplyDeleteExactly.
DeleteThe headlines are to 'sell newspapers'.
The only one who wins here is the lawyer. As usual. Defamation cases are extremely hard to win. I expect they chose the cases where the women have the fewest resources to fight the allegations.
ReplyDeleteCosby's reputation is already in the dumpster, no matter what he does. The more this hits the media, the worse it will become for him. Does he have enough mental capacity left to even know what is being done in his name?
At one time he was very powerful in the industry. Now, not so much.
Are any of them lying just for the publicity? Only they know. For sure not all are lying. If he did it to some, why should anyone believe he didn't do it to 50 or more?
This is a very bad move for him. There is no salvaging his reputation. It should be left to die with him.
He is only trying to discredit as many women as he can. I doubt any of them are lying. But Gryphen often blames the victim like he did with George Zimmerman's ex girlfriend. These jerks always stick together.
ReplyDeleteScram, troll.
DeleteHe probably picked those seven because his attorneys believe those seven cannot PROVE anything, trying to put doubt back in his public persona.
ReplyDeleteNot to belittle the very serious and probably true allegations against him,I always felt that he was committing criminal acts long before these came to light. Ever see his act?
ReplyDeleteIf even one is shown to be lying, there are those who will think all are. Look at how rape victims are treated,especially post KATHLEEN WEBB
ReplyDeleteHow could he not know what he did was rape? We're talking fifty that came forward so far. He already all but admitted it under deposition, which I believe he swears is the truth. These allegations have been out there for quite awhile, what I want to know is why is he calling them liars NOW? Pretty difficult to shrink a jury pool when he let fifty people tell their stories publicly. I just don't see how this "helps" him in any way.
ReplyDeleteCountersuing is standard lawyer stuff.
ReplyDeleteAttacking your victim(s) is standard Republican stuff.
I thought I had read somewhere that Cosby was a Republican. I could be wrong. But he sure behaves like one.
Seems he is a registered Democrat.
DeleteBut that doesn't mean much. More like a DINO.
He's liberal when it comes to civil rights. But he has very conservative views on a lot of other things. Like how he treats women and serial adultery.
And his "personal" life seems to be along that Republican "family values" sort of lines.
Oh please..... You are cherrypicking his political ideologies for him lol. You should let him know that he is part conservative lol. Frankly rape and violent crime would be much more a democrat pastime. Just check the state jails.
Delete