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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Women Can Amend|Lawsuit Against Cosby

BOSTON (CN) - Three women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault may amend their defamation lawsuit, a federal judge ruled.

Tamara Green, Linda Traitz and Therese Serignese sued the 77-year-old comedian in December 2014, claiming he falsely accused Green of lying about sexual assault allegations.

One contested statement was published in The Washington Post. Cosby's attorney, Walter Phillips Jr., stated that Cosby did not know Green and that the alleged incident of Cosby drugging and assaulting her "did not happen."

The Washington Post published a correction, noting that Phillips made his statement in 2005. Cosby argued that the plaintiffs' lawsuit is therefore untimely.

Green claimed that Cosby is still liable because he could reasonably expect that Phillips' statement would be republished.

U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni ruled on April 16 that the plaintiffs can amend their defamation claim for a second time.

"Plaintiffs here do not move to add an entirely additional claim; instead, they move to amend relevant facts and corresponding arguments within one of their already-existing claims," he wrote.

The plaintiffs want to see documents about Cosby's 2006 legal battle over sexual misconduct allegations. That lawsuit was settled, and some of the documents have been sealed.

The plaintiffs are among dozens of women who have told stories of being drugged and sexually assaulted by Cosby, who made his mark in TV, movies and on the stand-up comedy stage.

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