American comedian Bill Cosby has faced many accusations of rape by various women. Now model Janice Dickinson has filed a lawsuit against him for defaming her reputation.
According to Anthony McCartney of the Associated Press, Dickinson, 60, filed a lawsuit against Cosby in Los Angeles on Wednesday through her lawyer, Lisa Bloom. Her lawsuit was looking for "unspecified damages on defamation, false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims."
"The suit states Dickinson 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, Calif., hotel room more than 30 years ago," McCartney wrote.
According to McCartney, Dickinson stated in the lawsuit that she wanted a retraction of the denials from Cosby, but her request was denied.
"This is Janice Dickinson's chance for justice," Lisa Bloom, her attorney, said on Wednesday.
McCartney reported that Dickinson did not report the alleged incident to police back in the early 1980s out of fear that Cosby would retaliate against her.
"The statute of limitations to criminally prosecute the actor-comedian has long since passed, as has the statute on civil claims directly related to the incident," McCartney wrote.
According to Nancy Dillon of New York Daily News, the former supermodel's complaint was based on sworn statements made by New York editor Judith Regan and ghostwriter Pablo Fenjves. Bloom noted that her client wanted to include the alleged incident in her 2002 autobiography.
"Dickinson's claim would have been the first allegation of its kind against the beloved comedian in 2002, and 'Harper Collins' legal department would not permit it,'" Dillon wrote, citing from the actual lawsuit.
Dickinson talked with the New York Daily News through a phone interview on Wednesday.
"I want justice. I want Bill Cosby on the stand," Dickinson said. "I want vindication. I'm doing it for women. I've been called a liar, and I've been re-victimized."
According to Dillon, Dickinson said in her book that Cosby made an unwelcome sexual advance toward her. She claimed that Cosby gave her the "dirtiest, meanest look in the world" after rebuffing him.
"It's been an embarrassment to my children and my fiancé. It's extremely embarrassing," Dickinson said.
Dillon reported that Cosby's lawyer, Marty Singer, dismissed the model's account as "false and outlandish" and a "fabricated lie."
"Janice Dickinson's story accusing Bill Cosby of rape is a lie," Singer said in a statement last November.
However, Dickinson stood by her accusations, noting that she now has "nightmares about this catastrophic experience again."
"It's the right thing for me to do," she said of the lawsuit. "I'd like closure. That's my hope."
According to New York Daily News, 77-year-old Cosby, who has never been criminally charged, has yet to respond to the latest allegations made against him. However, he did answer a question from ABC News on what he would tell if a young person confronted him on those allegations.
"My point is, OK, listen to me carefully," Cosby said. "I'm telling you where the road is out. I'm telling you, where, as you're driving, you're going to go into water and it looks like it might only be three inches deep. But, you and your car are going to go down. Now, do you want to go here or do you want to be concerned about who's giving you the message?"
Dillon reported that over 30 women have come forward with accusations of rape against Cosby.
