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Attorney Gloria Allred, representing accuser Judy Huth, said
she will give a brief statement Saturday in Boston on Cosby's
testimony under oath. The deposition has been sealed by a
judge's order pending further review in December.
While Allred and Cosby's lawyers did not reveal the location of
the deposition, it may have taken place in Massachusetts, where
the comedian lives.
Cosby's spokesman Andrew Wyatt told Reuters he could neither
confirm nor deny whether the deposition was taking place Friday
or that it had been completed.
Also on Friday, federal court Judge Mark Mastroianni in
Massachusetts refused to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by
three women against Cosby.
Tamara Green, Therese Serignese and Linda Traitz said Cosby had
defamed them when they went public with their allegations of
sexual assault, and sued the comedian. Cosby's lawyers had asked
the judge in February to dismiss the suit.
In the past year, more than 50 women have come forward with
allegations against Cosby including drugging, sexual harassment,
sexual assault and rape.
Friday's deposition marks the first time Cosby has been directed
to testify under oath in response to sexual misconduct
complaints since a deposition he gave in a Pennsylvania case he
settled out of court nine years ago.
Depositions generally occur away from courthouses, with no need
for a presiding judge, said spokeswoman Mary Hearn of the Los
Angeles Superior Court, where the case is being heard.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan said on Thursday
he would seal Cosby's deposition at least until December, at
which point he will decide which parts could be made public
after reviewing the transcript, according to Allred.
Most of the allegations of sexual abuse against Cosby date back
decades and therefore fall outside the statute of limitations
for legal action.
According to Allred, however, Huth's case cites repressed
psychological injuries that she claims were only discovered in
the last three years, which would allow legal action under the
statute of limitations even though the alleged incident occurred
in 1974.
(Additional reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Diane Craft
and Lisa Shumaker)
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