Agreed. Especially for a defendant as beloved as Bill Cosby was in the 70s and 80s. I’d settle though, for good evidence that the complainant told someone else about the alleged assault, reasonably soon afterwards. A diary entry, a letter to her mom, e-mail: something concrete and of the time of the assault. Otherwise, all we have is her recollection now of the events way-back-when, and for me that’s not good enough to suspect someone of committing sexual assault.
Considering how many women have made the accusations, and how similar the accusations are, I think it’s at least good enough to suspect that Cosby might have committed sexual assault.
I vaguely recall hearing about Cosby misbehaving with actresses (ie, cheating on his wife), but something on the order of rape? I’ve never heard a word about this until just recently. Maybe it was reported once or twice, but without a doubt it was severely under-reported.
It’s also damn disappointing if it’s true. Unlike, say, Michael Jackson or Robin Williams, he never gave the impression of a guy who had something to hide.
It’s depressing to the extreme. It’s like finding out Santa Clause is really Satan.
From an interview with one of the women, she said that she’d gone to two authority figures - her agent and (I think) her therapist. Both callously dismissed her, and she realized that nobody would believe her if she came forward, so she’d have nothing to gain by doing so, and that it might actually hurt her career. If nobody is going to listen to you, what good does it do to speak out?
Now, why she associated with him a second time after the initial alleged assault… I have no clue.
I think the latest resurgence of the allegations and women coming forward has been due to Hannibal Buress’s commentary during one of his sets. They’ve said that, now that a man has come forward and brought it to light, they felt more assured that their voices would be heard.
I’m having an increasingly difficult time with the “trial by internet” stuff that seems to be happening more and more lately. I understand it - I truly do. The system is far from perfect, and the frustration at seeing people who are (at least seemingly) guilty of serious crimes go unpunished is real and justified. But, man. It just seems like the concept of “innocent until proven guilty in a court of law” seems to be going by the wayside awfully quickly. I’m sure there have been times where it’s been a good thing - when people are attacked who deserved it - but it’s completely uncontrollable. Mob justice isn’t a good basis for a society.
I have no idea if Cosby is guilty or innocent, and I don’t want the responsibility for deciding that to be on my head. I’d like the system to work, and for crimes to be prosecuted and defended according to unbiased legal practices. I understand how far from that ideal we are, but I’m really uncomfortable with the way these things are played out in the public consciousness.
Edit: And I’m hesitant to even bring it up, because I could quickly be lumped into the same pile as (checks forum) people like this OP: A lot of women are coming forward with rape accusations against Bill Cosby.. - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board Which I don’t think I am.
I’m interested to learn that some people don’t appear to realise Cosby is an actor - not the cutesy doctor he plays on tv.
I remember first hearing about them years ago when he settled a lawsuit out of court with one of his victims and I had a vague recollection that a numer of othe women came forward.
I remembe being surprised whe Cosby started having a come back a couple of years ago and no one seemed to be talking about it, then he had an authorized biography come out this year and it didn’t even make reference the claims.
I remember being dismayed when he was on Colbert a couple of months ago and Stephen didn’t even bring it up. It’s like we as culture just decided to ignore it, it must be maddening for his victims.
I’m not ready to judge Bill just because there stories are similar. I mean, how easy is it to say the same thing someone else has already said? Do two or three made up stories feeding on each other pass for suspicion these days? Why is everybody so ready to throw Bill under the bus? Because it’s so juicy it will sell tabloids and give the people on TMZ and E! something to gossip about?
I’m a bit suspicious as to the motivation behind people who claim injury years after the fact; even (shutter) alleged rape victims. Afraid Bill is going to die and not be able to get ahold of his money? I’m sure that most famous people have pissed off or disappointed many people in their lives so it shouldn’t be surprising when shit like this happens. The burden of proof is on the alleged victims people; not on Bill to prove himself innocent. If they had proof they would have filed lawsuits years ago before the statue ran out.
At least one of them did, and Bill settled out of court.
So then that’s settled. Things can be settled out of court for many reasons. One it being cheaper than going to court. Problem is that it shows other people that you are willing to pay. If someone drugged and rapped me I wouldn’t want money, I’d want them in jail.
But then I never understood the Michael Jackson settlement either. It’s OK to rape my son for two million dollars? WTF?
The process of making an accusation of rape, especially in the 70s and 80s, could be nearly as bad as the rape itself.
Me? Because he’s a dickhead.
This story is consistent with a large group of unrelated women who decided to get together and make very similar rape accusations against an old man who is rich (1. Make accusations of rape! 2… 3. Profit!). It’s also consistent with a large group of unrelated women who were sexually assaulted in a similar manner by a rich old man when he was younger.
And a number of women agreed to testify at that trial, some of whom have still remained anonymous, so I don’t see what they would have to gain by making the claim.
It’s not a case of he said/she said. It’s a case of he said/15 women said (and counting). I find it hard to believe that Cosby is just the victim of a well organized conspiracy of women who are just looking to get on the rape victim band wagon.
He said she said is best decided by a Judge. That’s why there are laws and a good amount of time allowed to make charges against someone. Know one can ever really know the truth now as too much time has passed. Witnesses die or there memories get clouded. People get old and start lashing out at people from their past. Yada yada yada.
I hadn’t even heard about it until sometime during the last year. Legally he is entitled to a presumption of innocence. The statutes of limitations have all expired. He is legally in the clear.
However, I find myself full of condemnation for this man because there are 14 women who claim the same violent acts of drugging and raping.
Then I notice that I wouldn’t be so full of rage if it were only one or two women because there could be doubts and there is a presumption of innocence, and I become disgusted with myself. This reminds me of how a woman in Kitty Kelly’s Reagan biography describes a similar encounter with Ronald Reagan and how the police swept it under the rug when he was a movie star.
I’d shun the man and his products, but I’ve never been a consumer. Recently, I did manage to hear his album track “Spanish Fly” where he discusses how he would drug women with this aphrodisiac.
Normally, I’m against trying people in the press, but the press has failed the public here, and perhaps a thorough investigative report on each of the allegations would be press penance.
Was aware of these allegations many years ago and kind of figured they were the reason he wasn’t as busy as he had been in the past. Also figured (again, many years ago) that they were likely true, as they involved multiple people with similar stories and a settlement.
That being said, it isn’t exactly surprising that he didn’t reference it in his autobiography, or that Colbert didn’t ambush him with them.
So from my perspective, seeing this everywhere in the last week was; “WTF? I thought people knew about this YEARS ago!”
One of his comedy albums from 1969 makes jokes about spiking women’s drinks with “Spanish Fly”.
Maybe a “thorough investigative report” would be helpful but that’s not what we’re getting. We’re getting gossip and unproven accusations and unproven denials. Interesting to me is how all the pictures on the internet of the accusers show lovely people and all the pictures of Cosby show an old man who needs a shave. That’s fair, huh? Has The National Enquirer taken over the Internet? Oh, yeah, it has.