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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Cosby Claims Accuser Tried to Extort Him

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Bill Cosby on Thursday responded to claims that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl 40 years ago, claiming that the woman sued him this week only after making an "outrageous" six-figure demand.

Judy Huth sued Cosby on Tuesday in Angeles , claiming he sexually assaulted in 1974 at the Playboy Mansion.

Cosby rebuffed Huth's claim on Thursday through his attorney Martin Singer, who filed a demurrer, calling her allegations "meritless and unsupported."

Both the lawsuit and response are in Superior 'Court.

"Mr. Cosby rejected plaintiff's outrageous demand for money in order not to make her allegations public," Cosby's response states. "Recognizing that they committed

extortion and could face significant consequences for their conduct, plaintiffs counsel, Marc Strecker, rushed to the courthouse to file this lawsuit on behalf of his client."

Cosby and his attorney Signer claim that Huth is required by law to support her claims of childhood abuse with a psychological evaluation, but failed to do so.

Even if she has submitted evidence supporting her claims, she was obligated not to identify Cosby by name until the court had a chance to review her case, Cosby's 9-page memorandum states.

"Notwithstanding the express statutory requirements, in a blatant effort to gamer publicity for himself and for his client, Mr. Strecker named Mr. Cosby as a defendant in the action before the court could consider whether plaintiff even had the right to pursue this baseless action," the filing states.

Because Huth alleges childhood abuse, her claims are barred by the statute of limitations unless she can show that "the psychological injury or illness had been repressed and was only discovered within the last three years," the complaint states.

"Conspicuously absent from her complaint, however, is the fact, confirmed by plaintiff's counsel, that plaintiff unsuccessfully tried to sell her story to the tabloids nearly a decade ago," the filing states.

According to Cosby, Strecker knew on Nov. 21 that Huth had not seen a psychologist, but decided to file suit anyway.

Cosby asked the court to issue sanctions against Huth and Strecker and award him attorney fees and costs.

Three women, backed by attorney Gloria Allred on Wednesday asked Cosby to waive the statute of limitations on their decades-old allegations of sexual assault, or pay $100 million into a victims' compensation fund.

Cosby resigned this week from the board of Temple University, his Philadelphia alma mater.

Also Thursday, the Navy announced that it was stripping the entertainer of his honorary title of Chief Petty Officer in face of the allegations.

Stand-up shows at New York's Terrytown music hall, Washington state and Las Vegas have been canceled. Netflix and NBC have taken Cosby TV projects off their slates.

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