Janice Dickinson’s defamation lawsuit against Bill Cosby should move forward, a judge ruled Tuesday, saying a trial can determine the truthfulness of the model’s claims that the comedian raped her in 1982.
A jury can decide the credibility of Dickinson’s allegations and whether a statement by Cosby’s former lawyer branding her a liar was defamatory, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Debre Katz Weintraub said.
The judge said in her ruling that she was not assessing the credibility of either Dickinson or Cosby. It also allows for the possibility that Dickinson could recoup punitive damages if she wins the case.
Dickinson sued Cosby in May after he denied her claims that he drugged and raped her in Lake Tahoe in 1982. She says she tried to include the story in a 2002 memoir, “No Lifeguard on Duty: The Accidental Life of the World’s First Supermodel,” but her publisher refused.
Cosby’s attorneys tried to get the suit dismissed, arguing Dickinson’s story about her interactions with Cosby had changed over the years. His legal team will have several other opportunities to challenge the case before it goes to trial, whose date has not been set.
Cosby lawyer Monique Pressley said in a statement that they are considering an appeal and believe Dickinson’s lawsuit should be completely thrown out.
Dickinson’s suit says she felt victimized again after the comedian’s former lawyer, Marty Singer, denied the allegations.
Letters that Singer sent to reporters threatening to sue if they published Dickinson’s claims are protected legal communications and cannot be used at trial, Weintraub also ruled.
The judge said her review of the evidence so far shows that while Singer offered an opinion on Dickinson’s credibility based on certain facts, there is no indication he investigated whether the rape actually occurred.
“I will not go down,” Dickinson told reporters after the ruling.
“I want Bill Cosby in court,” she said. “I want him to stand under oath.”
Her appearance in court came a day after the model announced she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will undergo surgery and radiation treatment.
Dickinson also was a cast member of VH1’s “The Surreal Life” and UPN’s “America’s Next Top Model” and appeared on celebrity rehab.
She said Tuesday that she is sober but that not speaking out about the incident with Cosby “did not work for the betterment of my soul. It drove me to the depths of misery through alcohol and drugs.”
Her attorney, Lisa Bloom, said the ruling was significant because of how vehemently Cosby has fought accusations of sexual misconduct.
“Bill Cosby has fought to keep women out of court with regard to their rape allegations,” Bloom said. “Janice and I, side by side, have been fighting for this day for a year.”
Dozens of women have accused Cosby, 78, of sexual abuse, but the statutes of limitations in most instances have passed.
The comedian has been charged with sexually assaulting a former Temple University worker at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. He is free on $1 million bail in the criminal case, which is on hold amid an appeal.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
This model looks sick and needing to just on the Bill Crosby money bus! I just do not believe these accusation. They need to leave this elderly man alone and let him live his life. Why are these people waiting all of these years to decide to crush Mr. Crosby? He is not playing ball with Hollywood and now they want to destroy him? May God arise and every lying tongue cease!
Do you really think 50+ women have (so far ) come forward with their stories of Mr. Crosby”s crimes for no reason??? Think woman, be in the real world………he is a terrible man & has gotten away with these crimes because he’s famous.
It is time for him to pay……..he needs to go to jail! O.J. got off when he murdered two people….let’s not continue to excuse the famous their crimes!
Hey Denise,
Have you ever been raped, mollested or sexually assaulted??? Janice Dickenson is a sad soul and her problems occurred after Mr. Cosby
Raped her. Sometimes people do not want to accuse the wealthy or famous because they are afraid of being asaulted again by not being believed!!!!
Some people feel brave when others come forward… May God rise and every truth be heard! Is this another O.J. Simpson show…
I can’t beleive this happen. If it did then he should be fined, and put in the hands of the vicmen!!!
With 50+ women (so far) accusing Bill Cosby of molesting them, I think it’s pretty OBVIOUS (yes, Obvious) that it’s TRUE.
It takes COURAGE to accuse someone of rape, and even more COURAGE to accuse a celebrity.
It’s easier to do if others have preceded you, but it still takes courage.
I have never trusted Bill Cosby (or OJ Simpson, for that matter). Their personalities appear to be similar, with an attitude of Entitlement and Endurance to engage in forcing women to do things. (Even Nicole Brown Simpson had said that she rejected OJ’s advances repeatedly, but he kept up the pressure, and kept it up, and kept it up, and she finally gave in and married him.)
I had never suspected Cosby of raping women, but now that so many have come forward, I believe it happened.
The alternative makes no sense, namely that 50+ women are all lying about being raped by Cosby.
50 women Lie, and only one man is telling the truth?? 50 to 1?? And one of them is/was a Supermodel?? With all the risk and abuse of being called a Liar?? And some Humiliation as well?? Not likely.
And she already tried to tell her story in 2002, but the publisher refused??
Wouldn’t Cosby and his “lawyers” want to go to court and defend Cosby against a false allegation??
Yet, all they do is call her a Liar, and try to get the lawsuit thrown out of court.
These are not the actions of a civilized human being or an innocent one.
An honest man would want to have that lawsuit shown in the Light of Day, in Court,
and jump at the chance to defend himself in Court. .
A criminal wants it to be Buried. Deep-Sixed.
Remember that OJ SImpson refused to testify at his big trial??
He hid behind his lawyers like a guilty coward.
We’ve seen this behavior before.
They resemble two peas in a pod.
May Slippery Cosby Rot in Hell.
Can anyone tell me that money does not count in our Justice System, you cannot have this many women say he is a rapist and not have some guilt there? His money will make sure this is delayed until after his death, he will never see a day in jail! Those who believe there is a God, he will have a lot of explaining to do?