Rape allegations mount against Bill Cosby #1

[AlwaysShocked]

I think it is great that these women are now speaking out. It was typical back then for these types of victims to not be believed. Remember the numerous victims of Jerry Sandusky. Remember the numerous victims of catholic priests. How long it took them to speak out.

I hope ALL of Cosby's victims come forward. And yes, I would very much like to see Gloria Allred take on the representation of these women.

What a nasty, absolute creep, drugging and raping these young women.

 

[Montjoy]

This situation reminds me a bit of the Jian Ghomeshi situation in Canada. Many people are reluctant to believe the allegations against these celebs because at some level they believe that they 'welcomed them into their houses' time and time again. Many people are reluctant to think that someone they seemingly trusted so many times could be capable of such violence, and so they feel duped, and hence reluctant to believe the allegations. I've felt that way before as well; it's natural. But the thing is, we do not know these celebrities/public figures. We are acquainted with their personae, which are constructed at a distance. If anyone here is feeling uncomfortable about having liked The Cos/Dr. Huxtable, well, you should not feel bad about that. They were good dramatic characters, but they had nothing at all to do with Bill Cosby the man/accused rapist.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I haven't really followed this story but wanted to check this thread out to see what it was all about. Maybe the reason that the girls didn't say anything is because he's a celeb and they were afraid that no one wou.d believe their story.

That's exactly what Barbara Bowman said. Remember, she was NINETEEN years old. Women of much more mature age hesitate to report their assaults to the police even when the crime is committed by someone who is not a beloved celebrity:

Back then, the incident was so horrifying that I had trouble admitting it to myself, let alone to others. But I first told my agent, who did nothing. (Cosby sometimes came to her office to interview people for “The Cosby Show” and other acting jobs.) A girlfriend took me to a lawyer, but he accused me of making the story up. Their dismissive responses crushed any hope I had of getting help; I was convinced no one would listen to me. That feeling of futility is what ultimately kept me from going to the police. I told friends what had happened, and although they sympathized with me, they were just as helpless to do anything about it. I was a teenager from Denver acting in McDonald’s commercials. He was Bill Cosby: consummate American dad Cliff Huxtable and the Jell-O spokesman. Eventually, I had to move on with my life and my career.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/poste...take-30-years-for-people-to-believe-my-story/

 

[SStarr33]

That's exactly what Barbara Bowman said. Remember, she was NINETEEN years old. Women of much more mature age hesitate to report their assaults to the police even when the crime is committed by someone who is not a beloved celebrity:

Back then, the incident was so horrifying that I had trouble admitting it to myself, let alone to others. But I first told my agent, who did nothing. (Cosby sometimes came to her office to interview people for “The Cosby Show” and other acting jobs.) A girlfriend took me to a lawyer, but he accused me of making the story up. Their dismissive responses crushed any hope I had of getting help; I was convinced no one would listen to me. That feeling of futility is what ultimately kept me from going to the police. I told friends what had happened, and although they sympathized with me, they were just as helpless to do anything about it. I was a teenager from Denver acting in McDonald’s commercials. He was Bill Cosby: consummate American dad Cliff Huxtable and the Jell-O spokesman. Eventually, I had to move on with my life and my career.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/poste...take-30-years-for-people-to-believe-my-story/

Going to a lawyer instead of the police does not sound too good.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Bill Cosby's Old Stand-up Routine Jokes about Slipping Drugs in Women's Drinks

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...h_fly_routine_jokes_about_drugging_women.html

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Going to a lawyer instead of the police does not sound too good.

Why not? It was a year or more later. By that time there would have been no evidence for the police to collect. It seems logical to me that she would go to a lawyer after so much time to find out what options might be available to her to seek justice.

 

[Montjoy]

Going to a lawyer instead of the police does not sound too good.

How many celebs do you think would talk to the police without a lawyer themselves? Or are there two different standards at play here?

 

[CHERIE.T]

Bill Cosby's Old Stand-up Routine Jokes about Slipping Drugs in Women's Drinks

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...h_fly_routine_jokes_about_drugging_women.html

oh my gawt :thud:

 

[Boodles]

Betcha $5 Cosby comes out with some lame story and statement in the next week denying, excusing and/or blaming these victims. The feedback about his remaining silent will get his peeps moving to make him say something. And then his (probable) lies will start.

I'm disgusted by Whoopi Goldberg's comments today. Hollywood and the entertainment crowd seem to make excuses for their fellow entertainers when they exhibit abhorrent behavior.

 

[SStarr33]

How many celebs do you think would talk to the police without a lawyer themselves? Or are there two different standards at play here?

I'm not getting your point. If the statute of limitations had not run out, the victim should not need an attorney.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Betcha $5 Cosby comes out with some lame story and statement in the next week denying, excusing and/or blaming these victims. The feedback about his remaining silent will get his peeps moving to make him say something. And then his (probable) lies will start.

I'm disgusted by Whoopi Goldberg's comments today. Hollywood and the entertainment crowd seem to make excuses for their fellow entertainers when they exhibit abhorrent behavior.

Oh, Whoopi. She lost any credibility she ever had (and IMO she had nothing to build credibility on to begin with) with her Roman Polanski "not rape-rape" comment.

I hope Barbara Bowman does take her up on the challenge to appear on The View.

 

[Montjoy]

I'm not getting your point. If the statute of limitations had not run out, the victim should not need an attorney.

Nor should an innocent person. But in the real world, if you're going to engage in any sort of a legal battle, especially one in which your reputation may be called into play, or in which you may be counter-sued because you're facing someone rich who has the legal resources to do so whilst he's eating a ham sandwich, well, you're smart to use a lawyer.

 

[SStarr33]

Nor should an innocent person. But in the real world, if you're going to engage in any sort of a legal battle, especially one in which your reputation may be called into play, or in which you may be counter-sued because you're facing someone rich who has the legal resources to do so whilst he's eating a ham sandwich, well, you're smart to use a lawyer.

Victims do have lawyers. They are called prosecutors.

ETA and the accused should ALWAYS have a lawyer.

 

[Montjoy]

Victims do have lawyers. They are called prosecutors.

ETA and the accused should ALWAYS have a lawyer.

Prosecutors have a limited mandate. They have nothing to do with civil affairs. Win or lose in a criminal case, a victim's life can be ruined by action in the civil sphere. That may not matter much to you, but I can assure you that it does matter to those who engage in cases against the rich and powerful.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Victims do have lawyers. They are called prosecutors.

ETA and the accused should ALWAYS have a lawyer.

Actually? The woman Cosby settled with, Andrea Constand? Her "prosecutor" lawyers declined to prosecute for lack of evidence.

Her civil lawyers, however, apparently got her a persuasive settlement from Cosby.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Also, prosecutors are not victims' lawyers in any sense of advocacy. They file charges in cases they think they can win.

 

[Steely Dan]

That's exactly what Barbara Bowman said. Remember, she was NINETEEN years old. Women of much more mature age hesitate to report their assaults to the police even when the crime is committed by someone who is not a beloved celebrity:

Back then, the incident was so horrifying that I had trouble admitting it to myself, let alone to others. But I first told my agent, who did nothing. (Cosby sometimes came to her office to interview people for “The Cosby Show” and other acting jobs.) A girlfriend took me to a lawyer, but he accused me of making the story up. Their dismissive responses crushed any hope I had of getting help; I was convinced no one would listen to me. That feeling of futility is what ultimately kept me from going to the police. I told friends what had happened, and although they sympathized with me, they were just as helpless to do anything about it. I was a teenager from Denver acting in McDonald’s commercials. He was Bill Cosby: consummate American dad Cliff Huxtable and the Jell-O spokesman. Eventually, I had to move on with my life and my career.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/poste...take-30-years-for-people-to-believe-my-story/

Are you talking about this happening to you too?

Bill Cosby's Old Stand-up Routine Jokes about Slipping Drugs in Women's Drinks

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...h_fly_routine_jokes_about_drugging_women.html

Sicko.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Are you talking about this happening to you too?

No. I was quoting the article. I wasn't sure how to make that clear.

Sicko.

Yep.

 

[SStarr33]

Prosecutors have a limited mandate. They have nothing to do with civil affairs. Win or lose in a criminal case, a victim's life can be ruined by action in the civil sphere. That may not matter much to you, but I can assure you that it does matter to those who engage in cases against the rich and powerful.

Um, I understand that, but you have to start somewhere.

 

[SStarr33]

Actually? The woman Cosby settled with, Andrea Constand? Her "prosecutor" lawyers declined to prosecute for lack of evidence.

Her civil lawyers, however, apparently got her a persuasive settlement from Cosby.

Which proves nothing. Absolutely nothing.