Cosby Accusations, Denials Abound
Bill Cosby, under investigation for possible sexual misconduct, denied claims by a second woman that he drugged and fondled her. The second accusation dates to 30 years ago, and a prosecutor suggested Wednesday such an old claim likely wouldn't be relevant in the current case.
The 67-year-old comedian's lawyer also blasted the Philadelphia Daily News for printing the accusations by Tamara Green, who was described by the newspaper Tuesday as a model-turned-lawyer who worked for Cosby in California at the time of the alleged encounter.
The report was published as prosecutors mulled whether to file charges against Cosby in the complaint by a former Temple University employee. A decision by Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. could come this week.
Green, 57, told the newspaper that Cosby gave her two pills at a restaurant after she felt ill. She said he then drove her home and tried to undress and kiss her.
Green, who allowed her name to be used, said she came forward this week because her experience closely matched one alleged by the former Temple employee who went to police last month to report that Cosby had given her pills and fondled her at his suburban Philadelphia mansion a year ago.
According to the State Bar of California, Green entered a program for lawyers with substance abuse or mental health problems in October. The bar had lodged disciplinary charges against her in March, alleging 12 counts of misconduct involving three clients, spokeswoman Kathleen Beitiks said.
Among the allegations were failure to pay client funds promptly, failure to perform with competence, failure to maintain client funds in a trust account, and failure to refund unearned fees.
Green did not return telephone messages left Wednesday at a Ventura, Calif., number believed to be her home.
First Assistant District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman declined Wednesday to comment on whether the investigation would include Green's complaint. But she said such decades-old allegations can only be used in a very limited number of cases.
"Generally, an accusation from over 30 years ago is not going to be considered admissible in court or relevant to an investigation," Ferman said.
Cosby's attorney, Walter M. Phillips Jr., said Green's allegations were "absolutely false."
"Mr. Cosby does not know the name Tamara Green or Tamara Lucier (her maiden name) and the incident she describes did not happen," Phillips said. "It is irresponsible of the Daily News to publish an uncorroborated story of an incident that is alleged to have happened thirty years ago."
Daily News city editor Kurt Heine said the newspaper stood by its story.
The former Temple employee, who now lives in her native Ontario, Canada, went to Canadian authorities Jan. 13, contending that Cosby gave her some medication that made her feel dizzy, then fondled her at his Cheltenham Township home after a dinner out with friends. She said she later awoke to find her bra undone and her clothes in disarray.
Cosby denies her allegations.
The day after Green went public with allegations that Bill Cosby drugged and groped her 30 years ago, Cosby's people began circulating dirt on Green.
David Walk, a Cosby attorney, e-mailed reporters and producers a copy of a New York Post story from yesterday that discussed a 13-count state bar complaint filed against Green last March.
A Cosby representative was also providing names and numbers of two California lawyers who he said had damaging information about Green. They did not return phone calls last night.
Walk could not be reached for comment last night on why he e-mailed the story to reporters. David Brokaw, Cosby's publicist, declined to comment.
Delilah Rumburg, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, said any state bar complaint against Green is "totally irrelevant" to Green's claims about Cosby drugging and groping her.
"It has absolutely nothing to do with this case," Rumburg said. "The question is, she has nothing to gain. So why would she come forward if it's not a true story?"