CELEBRITIES

Cosby appeals ruling that unsealed deposition excerpts

Jul 27, 2015, 1:31 PM

FILE – In this Nov. 6, 2014 file photo, entertainer Bill Cosby gestures during an interview a...

FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2014 file photo, entertainer Bill Cosby gestures during an interview at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in Washington. Lawyers for Bill Cosby argue in a new court filing his admission he used quaaludes in the 1970s doesn't mean he drugged and sexually assaulted women. The lawyers on Tuesday, July 21, 2015, asked a court to preserve the confidentiality of his 2006 settlement in a sexual-battery lawsuit. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bill Cosby’s lawyers on Monday appealed a judge’s decision to unseal court filings that quote him saying he obtained quaaludes to give women before sexual encounters.

The newly public court filings contain excerpts of Cosby’s deposition in a 2005 lawsuit in Pennsylvania that accused him of sexual battery, and were unsealed July 6 on a bid by The Associated Press.

The full deposition has since been released by a court reporting service and contains Cosby’s only testimony under oath about accusations he sexually assaulted a string of women, including the plaintiff, former Temple University employee Andrea Constand.

Cosby acknowledges several of the encounters but said they were consensual. More than two dozen women have accused him of molesting them, sometimes after they had been drugged. Two lawsuits are pending, a defamation suit in Massachusetts and a civil sexual-assault case in California.

Cosby has been unsuccessful in his efforts to avoid a deposition in the latter case by having the suit, filed by lawyer Gloria Alred, thrown out.

Cosby’s lawyers did not immediately return calls for comment Monday from the AP. They have not yet outlined the reasons for their appeal — and many of the deposition excerpts have been widely distributed since their July 6 release.

U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno unsealed 16 court filings after concluding that the “stark contrast between Bill Cosby, the public moralist and Bill Cosby, the subject of serious allegations concerning improper (and perhaps criminal) conduct” was a matter of public interest.

Cosby, in his deposition, testified that he had a consensual relationship with Constand, and said the pills he gave her in early 2004 were Benadryl. She believed she was drugged with something stronger and then sexually assaulted at his home while she was only semi-conscious.

The parties came to a confidential settlement after Cosby finished his deposition in 2006. Both sides have since accused the other of violating the agreement through press statements, and Constand’s lawyer wants the confidentiality clause lifted.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Celebrities

Associated Press

An Oscars unlike any other to get underway Sunday

An Oscars unlike any before will get underway Sunday night, with history on the line in major categories and a telecast retooled for the pandemic.

4 years ago

Sammie Shotzbarger

Here are Stephen Colbert’s first ‘Late Show’ guests

The premier of the new “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is less than a week away, and Colbert’s got an interesting week of guests ahead, including presidential candidates, actresses and CEOs. The former “Daily Show” correspondent got his hosting start on his successful spin-off, “The Colbert Report.” The parody show debuted in 2005 and ended in December, 2014. […]

9 years ago

This undated photo provided by FOX shows professional contractor Mike Holmes, who has a new show ca...

Associated Press

Mike Holmes: Buy a home using intelligence, not illusion

Mike Holmes, famous for calling out bad plumbing, woodworking and electrical work on the HGTV show "Holmes on Homes," says there are steps homebuyers can take to avoid many of those problems.

9 years ago

Associated Press

Jane Birkin asks Hermes to take her name off croc handbag

British singer Jane Birkin has asked Hermes to take her name off the crocodile-skin versions of the iconic Birkin handbag, after being contacted by animal rights group PETA over "cruel" slaughtering practices.

9 years ago

Associated Press

‘Celebrity Family Feud’ a summertime hit

The survey says: ABC's version of "Celebrity Family Feud" ended its run on Sunday as an unexpected summertime hit.

9 years ago

FILE – In this April 13, 2015 file photo, Matthew Broderick attends the 15th Annual Monte Cri...

Associated Press

Matthew Broderick joins Broadway’s ‘Sylvia’

Two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick has joined the upcoming cast of A.R. Gurney's "Sylvia" on Broadway.

9 years ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to save money on retirement planning following 2024 election

PHOENIX -- With the 2024 election over, economic changes could impact how people plan for retirement as 2025 is on the horizon.

...

The UPS Store

How The UPS Store is giving back to the community

PHOENIX -- As 2024 nears a close, The UPS Store is looking to give back to the Arizona community with the holiday season approaching.

...

Morris Hall

West Hunsaker, through Morris Hall, supports Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona

KTAR’s Community Spotlight this month focuses on Morris Hall and its commitment to supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona.

Cosby appeals ruling that unsealed deposition excerpts