Rape allegations mount against Bill Cosby #1

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I doubt if Phylicia Rashad. She didn't fit Cosby's preferred victim type of young and vulnerable.

Lisa Bonet now...That would not surprise me.

So lets just make things up now? Is that how this works? It is one thing to discuss allegations from accusers.. it is another thing to make them up..

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

It's disturbing that most likely (a) there will be no charges since these alleged events happened so long ago and (b) there is no physical evidence and (c) the accusations are pretty serious and there is more than one person who experienced being 'drugged'.

Yes it is all he said/she said at this point. Nonetheless, it's disturbing to me that this ''could have happened''. MOO

And so, They have not case. And they don't have proof, and so because they waited so long, and now there is no proof or evidence we should just take their word for it with no proof??? I don't under stand that logic.

So basically now people can just accuse people without evidence and everyone believes it? Well not me. I won't believe the worst about anyone without proof.

 

[SStarr33]

It proves a lot to me! I would never settle with someone if I was innocent.

I would

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Scarlett, I am not making up anything. I said if it turned out Lisa Bonet was one of the victims, that would not surprise me. That is all.

I don't know if you haven't seen the questions or are ignoring them, but numerous posters here including me have asked you repeatedly what would constitute evidence or proof in your opinion.

So I am asking you again, what would constitute evidence or proof that these women are telling the truth?

Please answer the question.

 

[Tugela]

It proves a lot to me! I would never settle with someone if I was innocent.

You are not a public figure. If you were, the ensuing publicity would likely permanently damage or destroy your career. In those circumstances it is often simpler to settle a claim than risk having an extended period of bad publicity, because in these sorts of accusations, the accusation itself is sufficient for a significant number of people to believe it no matter what the truth really is. It happens all the time.

 

[Tugela]

To paraphrase someone else, it's not he said/she said at this point. It's he said/ she she she she she she she she she she she she she said at this point.

I might even have left out a few shes. It's hard to keep track.

There is no downside or repercussion to making an accusation like that after many years have passed, while there are many upsides in the form of publicity, sympathy and potentially money. So rest assured that there will be no shortage of stories that are just made up, and no shortage of people coming out of the woodwork to tell them once the first allegation is made. People are people, and there is plenty of motivation for them to do so if the person they are accusing is rich/powerful/well known. That is why it is so important to rely on physical or independent evidence in cases like this.

 

[Curious Me]

She's really quite a beautiful woman. Years ago, she looked a lot like Sharon Tate, I think.

Local Cosby accuser gives first TV interview since 2005 allegations
Posted: 6:11 PM, Nov 22, 2014, Updated: 26 mins ago
http://www.10news.com/news/local-co...-tv-interview-since-2005-allegations-11222014

FALLBROOK, Calif. - "Tamara Green was the second woman to accuse comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault, going public in 2005."

 

[BirdycatNY]

If these allegations are true, I think the victims would much rather have never encountered Mr. Cosby then to have "upsides" of publicity etc as you say, Tugela. Anyone who has ever been a rape victim either date rape or roofied, or has had a close friend/family who has knows that they wish it go away, and so don't necessarily talk to police, report it etc. Imagine being drugged and not fully aware of what actually happened, thrown off guard by some sicko who tells you that you better not talk. What would you tell the police anyway? It's easy for people who have never been around creeps to not fully appreciate their depravity. I don't know if Mr. Cosby committed these crimes, but I certainly wouldn't dismiss victims because they are talking now. Knowing that there are other victims stories, gives other victims the strength/courage to come out and talk about it. It's disturbing to me that there are "Hollywood" stories of supposed role models. If the allegations are true, then there are very bad people that are allowed to hurt many people. I have a problem with that, and it reinforces actors on tv are not who they are in real life. These "actors" are just as capable as others of being serial rapists, murderers and evil people.

 

[Wondergirl]

Lisa Bonet made an interesting tweet last night.

Lisa Bonet @Lilakoi_Moon · 16h16 hours ago
According to the karma of past actions, one’s destiny unfolds, even though everyone wants to be so lucky... Nothing stays in the dark 4ever!

I have been wondering about exactly this. I hope if there are other victims, that they come forward. His narcissism makes me naseous.

ETA - Her twitter account is now suspended????

 

[IzzyBlanche]

There is no downside or repercussion to making an accusation like that after many years have passed, while there are many upsides in the form of publicity, sympathy and potentially money. So rest assured that there will be no shortage of stories that are just made up, and no shortage of people coming out of the woodwork to tell them once the first allegation is made. People are people, and there is plenty of motivation for them to do so if the person they are accusing is rich/powerful/well known. That is why it is so important to rely on physical or independent evidence in cases like this.

BBM for focus

:giggle: :laugh: :laughing: :hilarious: :floorlaugh:

 

[Nova]

Thank you, Nova, for your insights. Much appreciated.

It seems to me that Cosby's case might be different from those you experienced, due to Cosby's vast wealth. I can't imagine that his insurance companies would have demanded he settle, when he could probably buy those companies. I read somewhere that at one point he was wealthy enough to consider buying NBC.

I guess what I am saying is that it appears to me that whatever financial losses BC might have accrued from a protracted court case would have been a drop in the bucket financially to him, thus money not being a deciding factor in settling.

Your thoughts?

I didn't mean to say all those possible reasons for settling applied to Mr. Cosby, just that there were many possible motivations when a defendant offers a settlement other than guilt.

If I were to guess--and this is just a guess as I have no inside knowledge--I'd say Cosby would settle to avoid prolonged publicity which would hurt his image as the "All-African American" success story. But that might be true whether he were guilty or not.

(Don't get me wrong: with so many outcries over so many years, I believe the women. I'm just allowing that if a person is in the public eye, "perception" may be just as important as "truth".)

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I ask again. I've asked before and no one in the "there's no evidence or proof" camp has answered.

What physical or independent evidence would prove any of these crimes?

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I have been wondering about exactly this. I hope if there are other victims, that they come forward. His narcissism makes me naseous.

ETA - Her twitter account is now suspended????

I have no idea how twitter works. I'm not on it.

But if her account is suspended I expect she probably suspended it herself after receiving hate mail from all of the BC rape apologists.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

You are not a public figure. If you were, the ensuing publicity would likely permanently damage or destroy your career. In those circumstances it is often simpler to settle a claim than risk having an extended period of bad publicity, because in these sorts of accusations, the accusation itself is sufficient for a significant number of people to believe it no matter what the truth really is. It happens all the time.

I thought the saying was that any publicity is good publicity.

 

[Nova]

I don't know what that has to do with acting like someone is guilty when they have not gotten their day in court.

Cosby could have had his day in court. He chose to pay thousands of dollars to avoid it.

I've listed above the reason why even an innocent person might choose to settle out of court, but umpteen outcries later, at what point are we allowed to form an opinion?

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Cosby could have had his day in court. He chose to pay thousands of dollars to avoid it.

I've listed above the reason why even an innocent person might choose to settle out of court, but umpteen outcries later, at what point are we allowed to form an opinion?

Or perhaps even millions. One never knows.

 

[Nova]

There is no downside or repercussion to making an accusation like that after many years have passed, while there are many upsides in the form of publicity, sympathy and potentially money. So rest assured that there will be no shortage of stories that are just made up, and no shortage of people coming out of the woodwork to tell them once the first allegation is made. People are people, and there is plenty of motivation for them to do so if the person they are accusing is rich/powerful/well known. That is why it is so important to rely on physical or independent evidence in cases like this.

You're being more than a bit glib. Some of the women have already reported social repercussions, even though they are not suing for money. Most of the outcriers are not asking for anything at this point except that we allow for the possibility that the more recent accounts could be true.

 

[Nova]

I thought the saying was that any publicity is good publicity.

Maybe not if one has established one's self as the "moral voice" of one's community, not to mention the "living proof" that anyone can make it with enough hard work and good moral choices. Mr. Cosby has become quite the scold of African Americans who do not measure up to his standards of behavior and self-reliance.

 

[SStarr33]

I have been wondering about exactly this. I hope if there are other victims, that they come forward. His narcissism makes me naseous.

ETA - Her twitter account is now suspended????

One of the articles someone posted said it was an unverified twitter account.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

One of the articles someone posted said it was an unverified twitter account.

There are a ton of news stories out on this. None of them refer to the account being unverified.

Which article are you referring to, if you don't mind looking it up?