Bill Cosby Held Liable for a 1972 Assault: $59.25 Million Verdict for Donna Motsinger

In 1972, Donna Motsinger was working as a server at The Trident, a restaurant in Sausalito, California. Bill Cosby, then a nationally known comedian, met her there and invited her to one of his performances at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos. According to her account, he later gave her wine and pills she believed were aspirin. She lost consciousness and was sexually assaulted.

Motsinger said nothing publicly for decades. She filed suit in September 2023, after California opened a temporary window that allowed survivors of older sexual assaults to bring claims that would otherwise have been barred by the statute of limitations. Her case moved through the courts in roughly two and a half years, faster than several other lawsuits filed against Cosby.

The trial began in early March 2026 before a jury at the Santa Monica courthouse, part of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP represented Motsinger, with trial attorneys Jesse Creed and Spencer Lucas presenting her account to the jury. Cosby, 88, did not testify and was not present for much of the proceeding. His lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, contested liability and disputed the timing and reliability of the allegations. The plaintiff's case rested largely on Motsinger's own testimony about that night and on the pattern of conduct described by other women who had accused Cosby over the years.

On March 23, 2026, the jury found Cosby liable. It awarded $17.5 million for past non-economic damages and $1.75 million for future non-economic damages. That same afternoon, in a separate punitive phase, the same jury returned $40 million in punitive damages, bringing the total to $59.25 million. It is the largest civil judgment reported against Cosby to date.

"This verdict is not just about me, it's about finally being heard and holding Mr. Cosby accountable," Motsinger said after the decision.

Cosby's defense announced plans to appeal and moved for a new trial, arguing that the proceeding was unfair and that the damages were excessive. On May 29, 2026, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Bradley S. Phillips denied the motion. He found that Cosby had not shown any irregularity that deprived him of a fair trial, and that sufficient evidence supported the jury's findings. The $59.25 million award stands.