Bill Cosby’s accuser says he refuses to testify at civil trial, says 'does not care to appear'

TRIGGER WARNING: This article includes references to sexual abuse.

Bill Cosby’s rape accuser, Donna Motsinger, claims the comedian will not take the stand in her upcoming civil trial and does not plan to appear in court. In new legal documents, she alleges that Cosby “does not care to appear” and that jurors will only hear from him through a previously recorded deposition. The case centers on her claim that he drugged and raped her in 1972.

Bill Cosby's civil trial testimony dispute

According to documents obtained by TMZ, Motsinger says Cosby will not testify live at trial. She claims he also “won’t show his face at the trial either.” Instead, the only testimony from Cosby presented to the jury will come from a taped deposition taken earlier in the case.




Motsinger has accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her more than five decades ago. She alleges that he gave her a pill she believed was aspirin. After taking it, she said she began to feel unwell. She later woke up in her own bed wearing only her underwear.

In prior deposition testimony referenced in the case, Cosby admitted that he obtained a recreational prescription for Quaaludes from a gynecologist during a poker game. He said he planned to use the pills to give to women “in the hopes of having sex with them.” That testimony is expected to be central to the trial.

Donna Motsinger's allegations from 1972

Motsinger maintains that the events took place in 1972. She claims the drug left her disoriented and unable to fully recall what happened. Her lawsuit alleges sexual assault and focuses on Cosby’s own deposition statements about obtaining and intending to use Quaaludes.

It appears Motsinger wants the jury to hear that deposition in full. The previously recorded testimony could serve as the only direct statements from Cosby presented during the proceedings.

Cosby has not publicly addressed the new court filings cited by TMZ. The trial will determine how the jury weighs the deposition against Motsinger’s account of what she says happened more than 50 years ago.

DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, assault, or abuse, please seek immediate help. Reach out to a mental health specialist, NGO, or trusted individual. Several helplines are available to offer assistance.

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