Federal judge in Massachusetts refuses to throw out defamation suit filed

Their allegations vary, but a few patterns emerged: They say they were sexually harassed or assaulted, and sometimes drugged, and many say they initially turned to Cosby as a mentor.

In an opinion issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni found that Cosby’s statements-amounting to an accusation that the women were fabricating their accounts of being raped-can be found true or false, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Telephone messages left for four attorneys who represent Cosby in the Massachusetts lawsuit were not immediately returned.

In a statement Friday, the university said it’s “working to confront the scourge of interpersonal and sexual violence wherever it occurs”.

Cosby’s legal team has said repeatedly as these women have come forward that their client never has been charged with a crime. The women allege that they were victimized by a sexual assault by Cosby.

After comedian Hannibal Buress brought up Cosby’s multiple rape allegations in his comedy tour in 2014, Bowman wrote an article for the Washington Post about her experience.

The update on his defamation suit comes on the same day as Dateline’s special featuring Cosby’s alleged victims.

“It was something that I didn’t think could ever happen to me, and just knowing that there’s others out there”, said Chloe Goins, Cosby Accuser.

The judge explains that the women have provided enough evidence thus far to allow the case to continue on into the discovery portion.

He notes that whether their allegations are true or not will come out later but at this moment they have a right to proceed with their action against the comedian. A Cosby representative, Monique Pressley, declined to comment to The Associated Press about the NBC show.

Cosby will appear in a deposition today in Los Angeles in the case involving one of his accusers, Judy Huth.

In a deposition given in 2005, as part of a case that was settled out of court, Cosby admitted obtaining the sedatives Quaaludes to give to women for sex.

Snow said that numerous women who participated sensed an opportunity to educate others about the need to talk forthrightly about sexual assault.