Bill Cosby’s accuser files new lawsuit under New York’s expiring survivorship law

A woman who said Bill Cosby sexually abused her as a young comedy writer more than 50 years ago filed a lawsuit against the actor on Thursday. The basis for this was a soon-to-expire New York law that gave victims of sexual abuse a one-year grace period for claims that would otherwise be barred by time limits.

Joan Tarshis came with me at first Allegations against Cosby in 2014 which are repeated in the new lawsuit. Tarshis said Cosby drugged her and forced her to perform oral sex on him in 1969 or 1970, and then drugged and raped her in another encounter a year or two later.

The New York native was living in California at the time of the first attack and had met Cosby through a mutual friend while appearing on “The Bill Cosby Show,” according to the lawsuit filed in New York City state Supreme Court.

A spokesman for Cosby did not address the specifics of Tarshis’ claims.

“Diddy, LA Reid, Steven Tyler, and now they’re coming back to it,” spokesman Andrew Wyatt said, referring to others recently sued under New York’s Adult Survivors Act. “When will it stop?”

Cosby, 86, has been accused of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment by more than 60 women. He has denied all allegations related to sex crimes. He was the one The first celebrity was tried and convicted in the #MeToo era and spent nearly three years in a state prison near Philadelphia before a higher court overturned the conviction and released him in 2021.

Tarshis was among the first accusers to speak publicly about Cosby, whom she met when she was 19 and just starting to write comedies. A Interview she did with CNN Shortly after she came forward, journalist Don Lemon received widespread attention on social media and an apology from Lemon. During the broadcast, the host suggested that Tarshis may have bitten Cosby’s genitals in the initial attack, something Tarshis said she hadn’t thought about.

Tarshis had previously sued Cosby in Massachusetts, where Cosby had a home. She was among seven women who filed defamation lawsuits after Cosby branded them liars. The Cases were settled in 2019.

The new lawsuit alleges assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment. It demands damages of an unspecified amount.

In it, Tarshis said Cosby invited her to meet him on the studio lot where he was filming his show under the guise of working on a sketch she was writing. At his bungalow, Tarshis said she passed out after accepting a drink from Cosby and when she woke up she saw him undressing her before forcing her to perform oral sex.

“Mrs. Tarshis was ashamed and feared for her life” and returned to New York without telling anyone what had happened, the lawsuit says.

The next time she heard from Cosby was in 1971, when he called her home, spoke to her mother and invited her to his show at the Westbury Music Fair, the lawsuit says.

“Although Ms. Tarshis was frightened at the prospect of seeing Cosby again, she had not told anyone, including her mother, about the previous sexual assault and, at her mother’s urging, reluctantly agreed to meet with Cosby,” the lawsuit states.

She said she passed out in a limousine that Cosby had arranged for her and woke up the next morning in a bed next to Cosby, who she said had stripped her and raped her.

The Adult Survivors Act expires next week.

Antonio “LA” Reid, A music executive was sued last week by a manager who claims Reid sexually assaulted her twice in 2001. Emails and phone messages to Joel Katz, an attorney who represented Reid when the allegations arose in 2017, were not immediately returned Friday evening.

Sean “Diddy” Combs has denied rape and abuse allegations made by a former girlfriend earlier this week.

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has not publicly responded to a lawsuit filed earlier this month.

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