Actor Lili Bernard Has Filed A Lawsuit Against Bill Cosby For Allegedly Drugging And Raping Her In 1990

“Although it occurred long ago, I still live with the fear, pain and shame every day of my life,” Bernard said.

Lili Bernard, an actor who appeared on The Cosby Show and Seinfeld, is suing Bill Cosby for allegedly drugging and raping her in Atlantic City in 1990.

“I have waited a long time to be able to pursue my case in court and I look forward to being heard and to hold Cosby accountable for what he did to me,” Bernard said in a statement on Thursday. “Although it occurred long ago, I still live with the fear, pain and shame every day of my life.”

Bernard is suing Cosby, 84, in New Jersey civil court following his release from prison in July when Pennsylvania's Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction based on a technicality. According to the lawsuit, Cosby initiated a mentorship with Bernard after meeting her on The Cosby Show. During one of their “mentoring sessions” in Atlantic City in August 1990, Cosby allegedly made her a nonalcoholic beverage that made her “feel symptoms of dizziness, an urge to vomit, and weakness.” Bernard then said she went in and out of consciousness, and at one point found Cosby “naked atop her.”

Cosby’s spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, released a statement on the former comedian’s Instagram account, saying, "These look back provisions are unconstitutional."

“They are a sheer violation of an individual’s Constitutional Rights and deny that individual of their Due Process rights,” he added. “This is just another attempt to abuse the legal process by opening up the flood gates for people, who never presented an ounce of evidence, proof, truth and/or facts, in order to substantiate their alleged allegations. Mr. Cosby continues to maintain steadfast in his innocence and will vigorously fight ANY alleged allegations waged against him and is willing and able to take this fight to the highest court in these United States of America.”

Cosby has been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting more than 60 women over the course of decades. In 2018, Cosby was convicted of drugging and raping Andrea Constand, a Temple University employee, at his Pennsylvania home in 2004. But in July 2020 after he served more than two years in prison, the court determined that Cosby’s agreement with a previous prosecutor should have prevented charges from ever being filed.

“I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence,” Cosby wrote on Twitter in July. “Thank you to all my fans, supporters and friends who stood by me through this ordeal. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law.”

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