Donna Motsinger, who claimed Bill Cosby drugged and raped her in 1972, awarded $19 million in civil trial in Southern California

Monday, March 23, 2026 6:55PM

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) — A jury returned with a $19 million verdict against Bill Cosby on Monday in a civil trial involving allegations dating back more than five decades.

Donna Motsinger claimed that Cosby drugged and raped her in 1972 after meeting at a restaurant in Sausalito.

According to Motsinger, Cosby gave her a glass of wine while they were riding in a limousine, and she said she began slipping in and out of consciousness soon afterward.

Cosby claims encounter was consensual.

In addition to the $19 million award, the jury also reached a finding of punitive damages.

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