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Bill Cosby AP

Bill Cosby asks judge to dismiss 3 accusers' defamation suit

The women, all of whom have stepped forward in recent years, say Cosby’s representatives publicly branded them as liars.

BILL COSBY’S LAWYERS asked a federal judge today to throw out a defamation lawsuit filed by three women accusing the comedian of decades-old sexual offenses.

The women, all of whom have stepped forward in recent years, say Cosby’s representatives publicly branded them as liars while trying to defend Cosby’s innocence.

But Cosby’s lawyers say the actor was merely acting in self-defense as his character was under attack.

“The law does not require that one stand idly by while he is publicly attacked,” the lawyers argue in their 38-page filing. “Instead the law entitles an individual who is accused of serious wrongdoing to rebut the allegations without facing defamation claims.”

 Cosby denies all of the allegations

The lawyers say Cosby denies all of the allegations of sexual misconduct.

Cosby, who famously starred as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on the beloved sitcom “The Cosby Show” from 1984 to 1992, hasn’t been charged with any crime.

At least 15 women have stepped forward in recent years to level various assault accusations.

Tamara Green, a California lawyer, says Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her in her Los Angeles-area apartment in the early 1970s.

Therese Serignese says Cosby drugged and raped her in a dressing room after a show in Las Vegas around 1976. And Linda Traitz alleges he tried to drug her and then groped her on a Southern California beach in about 1970.

Cosby’s lawyers say his representatives were responding to the accusations in strongly-worded rebukes.

One November 2014 statement references Traitz’s “extensive” criminal record, which includes larceny, fraud and drug possession charges.

“As the old saying goes, ‘consider the source,’” wrote Cosby attorney Martin Singer, who also attached copies of Traitz’s Florida criminal and prison records with the statement.

Allegations 

Another November 2014 statement cited by Cosby’s accusers offers “general comments” on the allegations and does not specifically name any of the accusers, his lawyers say.

“The new, never-before-heard claims from women who have come forward in the past two weeks with unsubstantiated, fantastical stories about things they say occurred 30, 40, or even 50 years ago have escalated far past the point of absurdity,” Singer wrote at the time.

“It is long past time for this media vilification of Mr. Cosby to stop.”

The three women seek an unspecified amount of money for compensatory and punitive damages.

Many of the accusations against him exceed the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution. But the scandal has taken its toll on the 77-year-old actor and comedian as he has sought to revive his career with a national stand-up comedy tour.

Cosby has cancelled or postponed more than a dozen performances as more accusers have come forward, and women’s groups have protested or threatened to rally at many of his public appearances.

Lawyers for the three accusers did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. They have until 20 March to file a reply to Cosby’s motion to dismiss the suit.

Green originally filed the defamation lawsuit in December 2014 and Serignese and Traitz joined later. The suit is filed in US District Court in Springfield, in western Massachusetts. Cosby has a home nearby in Shelburne Falls.

Read: Fans gave Bill Cosby a standing ovation after a show last night>

Read: Bill Cosby’s wife: ‘The question should be asked – who is the victim?’>

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20 Comments
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    Mute Damo™
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:40 PM

    With the hippin and a hoppin and a bippin and a boppin

    133
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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:36 PM

    And she wud put in in ‘da bowel’ and she be mixin and da cookin and da zubidedoobopp!!

    32
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    Mute Aidan Rafter
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    Feb 28th 2015, 3:00 AM

    Don’t know what the Jazz, is all about!

    5
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    Mute Liam Ó Séaghdha
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    Feb 27th 2015, 9:59 PM

    Saville, Glitter, Crosy, who’s next? The royal family?

    80
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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:21 PM

    Um – pay attention…

    86
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    Mute Alan Moore
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:34 PM

    Saville and Glitter are not the same as Cosby. Cosby’s accusers are adults, looking for money, and mostly messed up. Cosby just pissed someone off that was powerful.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:39 PM

    Your disgusting to say that.

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    Mute Patrick Devereau
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:15 PM

    Your, you are, you’re.. Their, they’re, there goes…

    82
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    Mute David Heenan
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:17 PM

    Cliff Richard

    32
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    Mute Seán O'Ceallaghan
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:44 PM

    I wish if anything it was a criminal trial where claiming money wasn’t a factor.

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    Mute Sean Spillane
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:36 PM

    Methinks he protests too much.

    47
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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Feb 28th 2015, 1:27 AM

    What do you expect him to do? What would you do?

    33
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    Mute Gordon Gekko
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    Feb 28th 2015, 1:32 AM

    Gold diggers

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    Mute johngahan
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    Feb 28th 2015, 2:45 AM

    As Gerry Adams will tell you: if you ain’t got proof, go f**k yourself, even the most logical of circumstantial evidence in copious amounts is irrelevant – you are pure white innocent as the driven snow until anyone can prove otherwise in a court of law.

    Go Bill! Go O.J!

    15
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    Mute Brian Gormley
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    Feb 28th 2015, 10:25 AM

    johngahan, I didn’t realize bill cosby and oj simpson were White as Snow

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    Mute trickytrixster
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    Feb 27th 2015, 11:03 PM

    Bippity bop bzzzzzzz

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    Mute Stephen O'Sullivan
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    Feb 28th 2015, 9:17 AM

    The reason they have gone the defamation route is not only because of money, but partly because the statute has passed for criminal charges in many if the states.

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    Mute Davy Boy
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:04 PM

    They already their

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    Mute Anne O'Hara
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    Feb 27th 2015, 10:14 PM

    Oh sweet jeebus! Ever heard of syntax?!?

    42
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    Mute Con Manne
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    Feb 28th 2015, 4:22 PM

    Is that like a government charge for using prostitutes?

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