Bill Cosby Will Not Face Charges Over Drug And Rape Allegations Made By Former ‘Cosby Show’ Actress
Bill Cosby will not face charges in New Jersey stemming from the drug and rape allegations made by former Cosby Show actress Lili Bernard.
Cosby’s attorney Ed Jacobs confirmed Wednesday that the Atlantic City prosecutor has terminated its investigation and closed the case, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Although New Jersey does not have a statute of limitations in rape cases, that has only been the case since 1996 and the law is not retroactive. Bernard’s drugging and rape allegations against Bill Cosby predate the statute being lifted.
As the Inquisitr previously reported, Lili Bernard came forward in May to accuse the famed comedian of drugging and raping her while she was guest starring during the last season of The Cosby Show. The last time she saw Cosby was in 1992, when, the alleged victim claims, he threatened her life.
“As far as I’m concerned, Bernard, you’re dead. Do you hear me? You’re dead, Bernard. You don’t exist. I never wanna see your face again. Now get the hell out of here!”
On April 30, a day prior to the press conference in which she publicly revealed her allegations against Cosby, Bernard, along with her attorney, Gloria Allred, spent five hours with New Jersey detectives detailing the alleged crime in the hopes that the 77-year-old comedian could be criminally charged.
Over 30 women have come forward since late last year to accuse The Cosby Show dad of drugging and sexual assault. While no criminal charges have ever been filed against him, he is facing multiple defamation lawsuits brought by his alleged victims, including former model Janice Dickinson. The former America’s Next Top Model judge asserts in her lawsuit filed in May that Cosby’s repeated denials of raping her has caused damage to her both personally and professionally.
In a recently filed response to Dickinson’s lawsuit, Bill Cosby’s attorneys allege the former model is a “self-proclaimed drug addict and liar who’s attempting to cash in on the current media frenzy,” according to People.
The comedian is also facing a defamation lawsuit in Massachusetts brought by three other alleged victims.
In a May interview on Good Morning America, Bill Cosby touched on the sexual assault allegations and ensuing media firestorm. Although brief, it is the first time the comedian personally responded to questions in regard to the accusations.
“I have been in this business 52 years and I’ve never seen anything like this. Reality is the situation and I can’t speak.”
[Image by David A. Smith/Getty Images]
