*Things got reportedly testy during Camille Cosby’s deposition in February, the contents of which were unsealed on Friday.
According to The AP, Bill Cosby’s wife “refused to answer dozens of questions during a combative deposition” in her husband’s defamation lawsuit, filed by seven women who say the comedian branded them liars after they accused him of sexually assaulting them decades ago.
According to a transcript released Friday, Camille Cosby was subjected to intense questioning by the women’s lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, who repeatedly pressed her to say whether she believes her husband “acted with a lack of integrity” during their 52-year marriage. The lawyer also asked if her husband used his position and power “to manipulate young women.”
Camille Cosby refused to answer those questions and many others after her lawyer, Monique Pressley, cited marital privilege, the legal protection given to communications between spouses.
The exchanges between Cammarata and Cosby became testy at times, and she admonished him: “Don’t lecture me. Just keep going with the questions.”
Using a transcript of a deposition Bill Cosby gave in a civil lawsuit filed by Constand in 2005 and a transcript of an interview she gave to Oprah Winfrey in 2000, Cammarata asked Camille Cosby about extramarital affairs her husband had.
“Were you aware of your husband setting up trusts for the benefit of women that he had a sexual relationship with?” Cammarata asked.
She didn’t answer after her lawyer cited marital privilege.
Cammarata asked her about Shawn Thompson, a woman who said Bill Cosby fathered her daughter, Autumn Jackson, in the 1970s. Jackson was convicted in 1997 of attempting to extort money from Bill Cosby to prevent her from telling a tabloid she’s his daughter. He acknowledged that he had an affair with her mother and had given her money.
“Was it a big deal when this came up in the 1970s that your husband had — big deal to you that your husband had an extramarital affair and potentially had a daughter from that extramarital affair?” Cammarata asked.
“It was a big deal then, yes,” Camille Cosby replied.
About 50 women have publicly accused Bill Cosby of forcing unwanted sexual contact on them decades ago. Cosby has denied the allegations. He faces a criminal case in Pennsylvania, where prosecutors have charged him with sexually violating a former Temple University employee, Andrea Constand. He has pleaded not guilty.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
