Bill Cosby Accused of Paying 'Not a Single Dollar' of $59 Million Assault Damages, Contempt Sought

Bill Cosby, the American comedian found liable over a 1972 sexual assault and ordered to pay $59 million in damages, 'has not paid a single dollar' of the award, the plaintiff Donna Motsinger has alleged in new court documents.

Earlier this year a jury found Cosby liable for his actions and awarded Motsinger $59 million. According to Motsinger's new filing, she has asked a judge to hold the fallen television star in contempt of court after he violated an October order.

In March, Cosby was found liable for drugging and sexually assaulting the former waitress more than 50 years ago. He was then ordered to pay Motsinger $59.25 million in damages — $17.5 million for her past mental trauma, a further $1.75 million for mental suffering she may experience in the future, and $40 million in punitive damages.

In October, Judge Bradley S. Phillips granted a hearing on Motsinger's motion to compel and ordered Cosby to serve verified, code-compliant responses, without objection, within ten days of the order. The same order also directed Cosby to pay monetary sanctions of $1,560 to the plaintiff's counsel within ten days.

In Motsinger's latest request, she said Cosby's noncompliance 'is not partial, late, or excusable. It is total.' She said he served no responses by 19 October and has served none since, and that he paid nothing by that date and has paid nothing since.

Lawyer Joshua Wurtzel said there is a 'real possibility' the court issues a warrant for Cosby's arrest, but not for failing to pay the judgment. He said, 'Courts typically are not able to jail people for unpaid civil debts. The warrant would be for ignoring the court's October order requiring him to answer written questions about his assets under oath.'

Wurtzel said that if the court issues an order to show cause, Cosby is personally served and he does not appear, California law lets the judge issue a warrant directing the sheriff to bring him in. If the court holds him in contempt, it can also order him confined until he answers the questions. However, he noted that if Cosby is located outside California, executing the warrant may be very difficult.

Los Angeles criminal defence lawyer Danny Rubin said Motsinger's request for a 'debtor's examination' could benefit her case. A person awarded money in a civil judgment can conduct such an examination, in which the judgment debtor must provide information about the amount of his total assets and where they are located; failure to appear for the exam can result in an arrest warrant.

Oakland criminal defence lawyer Jo-Anna Nieves said Cosby's reluctance to pay could result in disclosure of his financial information — his bank accounts, investments, real estate, business interests, income and other assets could come under review. Depending on the circumstances, the investigation could also extend to financial transactions involving family members or entities connected to him, although not every record may become public, she said.