Bill Cosby’s wife gives deposition in Mass. lawsuit against comedian

The wife of comedian Bill Cosby must testify Monday in MA as part of a defamation lawsuit brought against her husband.

Cosby’s wife, Camille, was slated to be questioned at a Marriott in Springfield, Massachusetts, by lawyers for the women, some of more than 40 accusers who have come forward.

The motion, filed late Saturday, argues that Cosby’s deposition, which is scheduled for Monday, should be delayed because she “has no involvement with the facts or allegations underlying this case”.

Cammarata said he never saw Camille Cosby, 71, shed tears or become emotional over his line of questioning as she sat at one end of a long table opposite a video camera and flanked by four lawyers on either side. They also say her conversations with her husband are confidential.

After numerous women went public with sexual-assault allegations against Bill Cosby, Camille Cosby issued a supportive statement, calling him “a kind man, a generous man, a amusing man, and a wonderful husband, father and friend”.

She will continue the deposition on March 14. And what happens now to Bill Cosby, yet again, comes down to the word of a woman.

Camille Cosby had long argued that she has no information that would be pertinent to the case against her husband. This month, a judge denied a motion by his lawyers to dismiss the charges.

Cosby’s lawyers object to the Constand case file being released to the seven women suing Cosby for defamation in MA.

Cammarata said he would question Camille Cosby “carefully, respectfully”, but he left open the possibility that he could phone the judge if she refused to answer a question that he believes is fair game or that she could be called back for another sessions. Some 50 women have said Cosby assaulted them, but the statute of limitations had expired for nearly all of the women’s cases by the time their accusations were made public.

Joseph Cammarata, lead counsel on the Springfield civil action, yesterday fired off an email to Cosby lawyer Marshall Searcy warning him, his Los Angeles firm and Cosby of “remedies and consequences” if she fails to appear for her deposition, barring a cancellation by Mastroianni.

Despite them attempting to quash the deposition, a judge ruled on Friday that it must still go ahead.

Cosby, 78, who has denied all the allegations against him, was not present at the deposition.

Cosby’s lawyers have said in court papers the deposition is “nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to pressure (the) defendant in the face of subjecting his wife to the shame and embarrassment of responding to questions about his alleged infidelities and sexual misconduct”.