Bill Cosby, His Attorneys/Accusers Open Up After Washington Post Chronicles Accusations Against Him

Bill Cosby, His Attorneys/Accusers Open Up After Washington Post Chronicles Accusations Against Him

In a new article about the life and legacy of Bill Cosby, the Washington Post takes a hard look at his life, his work, and the rampant sexual assault allegations that continue to mount against the comedian. 

The piece, which was released late Saturday night, covers the life and times of the influential comedian, once known for his family-friendly material, and reveals how he and the victims first crossed paths, even putting the allegations of sexual abuse in chronological order.

In all, 16 women have publicly accused Cosby of rape, with 12 of them stating that he drugged them. One additional alleged victim has made a claim that he tried and failed to drug her. 

The latest round of accusers has come forward in an age of social media, where network television and daily newspapers no longer push narratives. This, the article infers, might explain why so many women are coming forward now, years later. 

Victoria Valentino, a former Playboy Playmate, said she never called the police after a run-in with Cosby. Valentino states that after Cosby talked her into taking a pill, he forced himself on her. When asked why she never came forward, she spoke openly.

“What kind of credibility did I have?” she said. “In those days, it was always the rape victim who wound up being victimized. You didn’t want to go to the police. That’s the last thing you wanted to do back then.” 

Most of the alleged events took place in an age in which many of the women state that it was socially frowned upon to go to the police, which led them instead to keep silent, leaving them to suffer quietly for years.

“It was a different time, we all also knew this was a really big guy with a big PR operation and lawyers, and that he could crush us — that he would crush us — and her,” said Jim Traitz, the brother of accuser Linda Traitz.

The piece goes on to draw parallels between the victims, their backgrounds, and their stories, all of which bear striking resemblance. 

Whether or not the latest accusers might have found comfort in coming forward after decades of silence by hearing other stories is a question that comes to mind when reading the article, but not everyone sees it that way.

One of Cosby’s attorneys, Martin Singer, sees the events very differently, instead blaming the media:

The new, never-before-heard claims from women who have come forward in the past two weeks with unsubstantiated, fantastical stories about things they say occurred 30, 40, or even 50 years ago have escalated far past the point of absurdity.

These brand new claims about alleged decades-old events are becoming increasingly ridiculous, and it is completely illogical that so many people would have said nothing, done nothing, and made no reports to law enforcement or asserted civil claims if they thought they had been assaulted over a span of so many years.

This situation is an unprecedented example of the media’s breakneck rush to run stories without any corroboration or adherence to traditional journalistic standards. Over and over again.

Bill Cosby has finally broken his silence about the subject. In an interview with Florida Todayhe opened up about the accusations but was very brief. 

“I know people are tired of me not saying anything, but a guy doesn’t have to answer to innuendos. People should fact-check. People shouldn’t have to go through that and shouldn’t answer to innuendos,” said the actor. 

With all the accusations bearing similar themes, it will be interesting to see how Cosby’s legal team continues to handle the situation, especially if new alleged victims continue to surface.

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