Bill Cosby found guilty of 1972 rape, ordered to pay $19.25 million in damages 

Found guilty by jury after three days of deliberation, Cosby said in a deposition that he "cannot remember" whether he had sex with his accuser.

By Matt Schimkowitz  |  March 23, 2026 | 5:54pm
Credit: Montgomery County Planning Commission
Film News Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby found guilty of 1972 rape, ordered to pay $19.25 million in damages 

Bill Cosby has been found guilty of the 1972 drugging and raping of former waitress Donna Motsinger, per Deadline. Motsinger, now 84, sued Cosby in 2023, thanks to several changes to California’s statute of limitations. A Santa Monica jury decided that Cosby is liable for her claims, ordering him to pay her $17.5 million for past trauma and another $1.75 million for future suffering. The trial lasted two weeks, during which, a deposition of Cosby was played. Asked in the deposition video whether he had sex with Motsinger, Cosby replied, “I cannot remember if I did or not.” Regardless, Cosby maintains his innocence. 

The complaint by Montsinger outlines her experience with Cosby, and it’s very similar to other allegations made towards him. She says she met him at work and he invited her to his show at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, CA. At the show, Montsinger felt sick and received “what she believed was an aspirin” from Cosby. The filing states, “The last thing Ms. Motsinger recalls were flashes of light. She woke up in her house with all her clothes off, except her underwear on – no top, no bra, and no pants.” According to Deadline, the incident occured the night Cosby recorded his Inside The Mind Of Bill Cosby album.

 

 
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