*Bill Cosby and his former attorney Martin Singer must be deposed by lawyers for Janice Dickinson in the model’s defamation lawsuit against the comedian, a judge ruled Monday.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Debre Katz Weintraub ruled Cosby and Singer must give their sworn testimony before Nov. 25.
Dickinson, who is among scores of women alleging that Cosby molested them, is suing Cosby for defamation over statements last year denying the comedian drugged and raped Dickinson in 1982.
The ruling states Dickinson’s lawyers can only seek answers as to whether the denials were made maliciously, and Cosby and Singer can assert attorney-client privilege and refuse to answer some questions.
Dickinson never reported the rape to authorities and has said she was afraid if she did that her career would be damaged and Cosby would retaliate. She sued Cosby in May, claiming she has been re-victimized and her reputation has suffered because of pointed denials by Cosby’s attorney that the comedian drugged and raped her in a Lake Tahoe, California hotel room more than 30 years ago.
The suit detailed Dickinson’s allegations that Cosby raped her after giving her wine and a pill in the hotel room, and how she wanted to go public with her story in a 2002 autobiography but was prevented from doing so by the book’s publisher.
Cosby’s lawyers are seeking to throw out the case and Dickinson’s lawyers argued they needed sworn testimony from the comedian and Singer to properly oppose their efforts.
Cosby’s new lawyer Christopher Tayback declined comment after the hearing. Dickinson’s attorney Lisa Bloom said she was pleased by the ruling.
Neither Cosby, 78, nor Dickinson, 60, attended Monday’s hearing.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
