A Santa Monica jury has awarded Donna Motsinger over $19 million in a civil lawsuit against 88-year-old comedian Bill Cosby, finding him liable for a 1972 sexual battery involving alleged drugging.
In a significant legal blow to embattled comedian Bill Cosby, a Santa Monica jury on Monday, March 23, 2026, awarded plaintiff Donna Motsinger more than $19 million in damages. After three days of deliberations, the panel found the 88-year-old entertainer liable for sexual battery stemming from an incident that occurred over 50 years ago. Beyond the initial compensatory award, the jury also determined that Motsinger is entitled to punitive damages—additional funds intended to punish the defendant for harmful conduct—with that specific amount set to be finalized in a subsequent session later on Monday.
The civil case centered on Motsinger’s harrowing account of an encounter in 1972, when she was working as a server at a restaurant frequented by Cosby. According to the complaint, Cosby followed her to her home in Mill Valley and invited her to one of his shows in San Carlos. Motsinger alleged that after being picked up in a limousine, she was given a glass of wine and what she believed was an aspirin by the comedian. She testified that she quickly lost consciousness, leading to the alleged sexual battery. This pattern of “drugging and stalking” mirrored the testimony of dozens of other women who have come forward against the actor over the last decade.
Cosby’s legal team, led by attorney Jennifer Bonjean, maintained a stance of denial throughout the trial, stating that the comedian had no memory of sexual contact with Motsinger. They argued that if any contact did occur, it was entirely consensual, and they flatly denied that any unauthorized drugs were administered. Following the verdict, Bonjean expressed her “disappointment” to reporters and confirmed that the defense intends to appeal the decision. Despite his 2021 release from prison following the vacation of a separate criminal conviction, this multimillion-dollar verdict signals that Cosby continues to face severe financial and legal consequences in the civil court system.
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