Bill Cosby is facing a lawsuit from actress Linda Ridgway-Whitedeer over an alleged sexual assault incident from 1971.
The complaint accuses Cosby of forcing Ridgway-Whitedeer to perform oral sex on him during an audition.
The actress described the incident, stating that after she arrived for the audition, Cosby led her into an empty office. She alleges that he then blocked the exit and forced her into the act. After the incident, the suit claims Cosby accompanied Ridgway-Whitedeer to her car.
In a 2015 statement, Ridgway-Whitedeer expressed her distress about the experience, saying, “I was bordering between vomiting and passing out. He was mumbling that I had been blessed with his semen. He gloated over my humiliation.”
The lawsuit also implicates the William Morris Endeavor (WME), previously known as the William Morris Agency, accusing them of negligence. The claim asserts that since both Cosby and Ridgway-Whitedeer were represented by the agency, WME should have been more aware and proactive regarding Cosby’s behavior. The complaint states, “At the time of the sexual assault, the William Morris Agency was aware, or should have been, of Defendant’s repeated acts of sexual assault.”
According to the complaint, Cosby had approached WME to arrange for Ridgway-Whitedeer’s audition for the film “Hickey and Boggs.”
As of now, Cosby has not been charged specifically in connection with the Ridgway-Whitedeer case. Over the years, more than 60 women have accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting them. He was convicted of such charges in 2018 but was released in 2021 due to a prior agreement made during a civil deposition.
Andrew Wyatt, Cosby’s spokesperson, stated that Cosby denies the allegations made by Ridgway-Whitedeer. Jennifer Bonjean, Cosby’s attorney, emphasized they will “continue to fight each and every lawsuit.”
