Goins, who went public with her allegations in December 2014, is the most recent addition to a growing list of women who have publicly claimedthat they know or suspect that Cosby sexually assaulted and/or drugged them — and she's the first whose claims appear to fall within a statute of limitations that would allow for criminal prosecution.
The dates of the alleged incidents described by Cosby's many accusers, all of which the 77-year-old comedian and his lawyers have denied, span from 1965 to 2008.
The allegations often follow a similar narrative: Cosby offers a woman a cup of coffee or alcoholic beverage, after which he sexually assaults her while she is impaired or unconscious. In addition, a handful of other women have accused Cosby of drugging them without sexually assaulting them, or of inappropriate grabbing or kissing without drugging them.
The women include lawyers, waitresses, aspiring actresses, and fellow celebrities, such as models Janice Dickinson and Beverly Johnson. Some had dating relationships with Cosby, while others say they saw him as a mentor. Some accusers say they were in their teens at the time of their claims.
It's a lot to keep up with.
Here's a timeline of the alleged events, significant legal developments, and public allegations.
The full list of allegations against Cosby
1960s:
Cosby drugs and assaults Joan Tarshis multiple times, according to her 2014 piece for Hollywood Elsewhere.
Cosby grabs and kisses Carla Ferrigno, according to her 2014 statement to Rumorfix.
Cosby slips something into the drink of Kristina Ruehli before forcing her to perform oral sex, according to her 2014 statement to Philadelphia Magazine.
1970s:
Cosby rapes actress Louisa Mortiz in a Tonight Show green room, according to her 2014 statement to TMZ.
Cosby drugs and sexually assaults Tamara Green, according to her 2005 Today Show interview.
Cosby attempts to drug Linda Joy Traitzm according to her 2014 Facebook post.
Cosby drugs and rapes Theresa Seringese, according to her 2014 statement to the Huffington Post.
Cosby drugs and sexually assaults Playboy Playmate Victoria Valentino and her friend, according to Valentino's 2014 statement to the Washington Post.
Cosby assaults 15-year-old Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion, according to her 2014 statement to the LA Times. This claim later provides the basis of her 2014 civil suit against Cosby, and his suit against her for extortion.
1980s:
Cosby drugs Beth Ferrier, according to her 2005 statement to the Philadelphia Daily News
Cosby drugs and rapes supermodel Janice Dickinson, according to her 2014 Entertainment Tonight interview.
Cosby drugs Renita Cheney Hill, who appeared with Cosby on the children's program, Picture Pages, on multiple occasions and kisses and touches her on at least one occasion, according to Hill's 2014 interview with CBS Pittsburgh.
Cosby drugs model Jewel Allison, places her hand on his penis, and kisses her, according to her 2014 statement to New York Daily News.
Cosby drugs supermodel Beverly Johnson, according to her 2014 essay for Vanity Fair.
A 21-year-old aspiring modelidentified only as "Lisa"accepts two drinks from Cosby, blacks out after he strokes her hair, and doesn't recall anything else until she wakes up at home two days later, according to her 2014 interview with Dr. Phil.
1990s:
Cosby asks model Angela Leslie to act intoxicated and forces her to masturbate him, according to her 2014 statement to the Daily News.
2004:
Cosby sexually assaultsAndrea Constand, according to her 2005 lawsuit
2005:
Andrea Constand tells Canadian authorities that Cosby sexually assaulted her in 2004.
Tamara Green says in a Today Show interview that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her in the 1970s.
Authorities decline to bring criminal charges against Cosby based on Constand's claims
Andrea Constand files a civil complaint against Cosby. Thirteen women with similar stories serve as anonymous Jane Doe witnesses.
Beth Ferrier, one of the Jane Does in the case, tells the Philadelphia Daily News Cosby drugged her while they were in a relationship in the 1980s, and she woke up to find "My clothes were a mess. My bra was undone. My top was untucked."
Cosby drugs and sexually assaults Barabara Bowman, according to her 2005 Philadelphia Magazineinterview.
2006:
Barabara Bowman, another Jane Doe witness from Cosby's lawsuit, gives two interviews to Philadelphia Magazinealleging that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005.
Cosby settles Constand's civil suit on undisclosed terms.
2008:
After accepting a drink from Cosby at the Playboy mansion in 2008, 18-year-old Chloe Gains wakes up naked to find him licking her feet, with his pants around his ankles, according to her 2014 interview with the Daily Mail.
2014:
Hannibal Burres brings up the rape allegations against Cosby in a comedy routinethat goes viral.
Theresa Seringese, one of the 13 Jane Does in Constand's case, tells the Huffington Post that Cosby drugged and raped herin 1976.
Cosby's lawyer releases a statement denyingall of allegations and says "people are trying to come up with these wild stories in order to justify why they have waited 40 to 50 years to disclose these ridiculous allegations. "
Renita Cheney Hill, who appeared with Cosby on the children's program, Picture Pages, tells CBS Pittsburgh that she believes Cosby drugged heron more than one occasion in the 1980s, and that he kissed and touched her.
Model Angela Leslie tells the Daily News that Cosby asked her to act intoxicated and forced her to masturbate himin 1992.
Model Jewel Allison tells the New York Daily News that Cosby drugged her, placed her hand on his penis, and kissed her in the late 1980s.
Judy Huth tells the LA Times that Cosby assaulted her at a partyat the Playboy Mansion in 1974, when she was 15 years old. She files a civil suit against Cosby.
At a Los Angeles press conference organized by Gloria Allred, Helen Hayes accuses Cosby of stalking her "like a predator" and grabbing her breast in 1973. A woman who went only by the name of "Chelan" said Cosby drugged and assaulted her in 1986.
Model Beverly Johnson writes in Vanity Fairthat Cosby drugged her in the 1980s
A woman identified only as "Lisa,"tells CBS' Dr. Philthat she met Cosby in 1988 when she a 21-year-old aspiring model. She said that after accepting two drinks from Cosby, she remembers him stroking her hair, but she blacked out and doesn't recall anything else until she woke up at home two days later.
Chloe Goins tells the Daily Mailthat after accepting a drink from Cosby at the Playboy mansion in 2008, she woke up naked to him licking her feet with his pants around his ankles.
Vulture has maintained a thorough timeline of all of the allegations, as well as related developments, which was a huge help in compiling this list. Read it here.
77-year-old comedian Bill Cosby is accused of sexually assaulting over two dozen women over a period of several decades. Many of the alleged victims tell similar stories, saying Cosby drugged them so that they were unable to fight off his attacks, or that they lost consciousness and awoke to discover or suspect he'd sexually assaulted them. Many of these allegations emerged in late 2014, generating a widespread backlash against Cosby and discussion about why the story remained so quiet for so long.
While some allegations had come out in a 2005 civil suit, they did not receive wide attention. That changed when comedian Hannibal Buress used an October 2014 routine to draw public attention to the fact that Cosby was an accused rapist, and encouraged the audience to Google "Bill Cosby rape."
Cosby, mostly speaking through a lawyer, has vehemently denied the allegations against him and has even filed a countersuit against one accuser. Still, the sheer volume and consistency of the allegations have tarnished the wholesome reputation Cosby nurtured through The Cosby Show"and, especially, through his later roles as an outspoken social critic and philanthropist.
While statutes of limitations mean Cosby almost certainly won't face criminal charges, and additional civil lawsuits are unlikely, he has already suffered concrete consequences in the form of cancelled engagements and syndication deals, and severed professional relationships.
Meanwhile, the story has led to larger conversations about rape culture and the forces that keep sexual assault victims from coming forward.
No comments:
Post a Comment