Cosby Drops Defamation Suit Against Accuser, Because He's Got Way Bigger Problems Right Now

Bill Cosby's legal team is focusing on keeping him out of jail, so they're dropping a defamation lawsuit against one of his accusers.

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Bill Cosby has a hell of a lot of court cases happening at the same time. He's been suing people, getting sued by people, and of course fighting to keep his wife out of court during depositions for a separate criminal case. They're all somehow related to the more than 50 women who have accused him of rape, but, it's fair to say the one that's probably most important to him right now is the one that could send the 78-year-old comedian to jail.

That's why Cosby's legal team announced today that they're dropping their defamation lawsuit against Beverly Johnson, the former supermodel who claimed that Cosby slipped her a drugged cappuccino back in the 1960s. Cosby sued Johnson for defamation after she told the cappuccino story in interviews and also in her memoir, The Face That Changed It All. His lawyers told ABC News that the case was being dropped, at least for now, so that Cosby could focus on those criminal sexual assault charges he's facing in Pennsylvania. 

"The case has been voluntarily dismissed at this time due to the pendency of the criminal proceedings in Montgomery County, PA, which impede Mr. Cosby's ability to fully participate in litigating the civil case against Ms. Johnson. We fully expect to re-file the complaint against her prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations," the statement to ABC News read.

Cosby is facing charges of aggravated indecent assault in Pennsylvania for allegedly raping Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004. That second-degree felony carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if he's convicted. Cosby failed to convince a judge to throw the case out last month.

 

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