Bill Cosby can be questioned in model Janice Dickinson’s defamation lawsuit, judge rules

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled Monday that Bill Cosby and his former attorney can be deposed by model Janice Dickinson’s attorney in her defamation lawsuit against the comedian for denying he raped her.

Judge Debra Katz Weintraub ruled that Dickinson’s lawyer, Lisa Bloom, can depose Cosby and his former attorney, Martin Singer, before Nov. 25.

But the judge limited the deposition to evidence showing the denial of the allegation that Cosby raped the model in Lake Tahoe in 1982 was made maliciously. The move essentially prevents extensive questioning of Cosby about the 50 other women who have accused him of sexual assault or abuse. The judge also noted that Singer would be able to assert attorney-client privilege in not answering some questions.

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The judge, in the tentative ruling, rejected the Cosby lawyers’ motion efforts to dismiss the case and found that the case boiled down to whether or not the rape happened.

Last month, Gloria Allred deposed Cosby in a lawsuit by Judy Huth, who alleges she was sexually assaulted by the comedian in the 1970s at the Playboy Mansion when she was 15 years old.

Following that deposition, Cosby replaced Singer with Christopher Tayback as his attorney.

Bloom said she was pleased with the ruling and will conduct the depositions personally.

Dickinson sued Cosby in May after his lawyer issued a statement denying her allegation that the comedian raped her and called it “a lie.” The model alleged the denial amounts to defamation. 

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