Bill Cosby accuser's civil lawsuit falls within statute of limitations, attorney says
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Bill Cosby sexual assault scandal may move from the court of opinion to a real one.
An alleged victim filed a civil suit against the comedian on Tuesday, and the law firm representing her says it's the first case to fall within California's statute of limitations.
Chloe Goins, 25, accuses Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her. They're the same claims made by dozens of other women.
Goins says she was a teenager when Cosby sexually assaulted her at the Playboy Mansion in 2008. Nine months ago, she reported it to police, and on Tuesday her attorney filed a federal civil lawsuit against the 78-year-old Cosby seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
"Today I recognize that I've taken legal action that many of the other victims of Bill Cosby will never be able to take," said Goins. "For that reason, I offer this message to those brave women: your experience was just like mine and mine just like yours. We are not alone, we did not ask for these attacks, and these attacks are not our fault."
The lawsuit alleges Cosby committed one count of sexual childhood abuse after drugging Goins with a drink at the Playboy Mansion.
"We know that she was drugged, we know that Mr. Cosby was there, and we know that he's the one that gave her the drink, and he's the one that undressed her and left her in that room and molested her," said Spencer Kuvin, Goins' attorney.
Also in the lawsuit is a list of the 40 other women who have accused Cosby of similar acts.
"This lawsuit represents a significant milestone in the collapse of Bill Cosby's fabricated public image over the years," said Kuvin. "This is the only lawsuit now filed by one of Mr. Cosby's sexual assault victims that falls directly within the statute of limitations."
Eyewitness News reached out to Cosby's attorney, Martin Singer, but did not hear back. In the past, Singer has denied Cosby was in town on the date that the alleged Goins incident took place.
