U.S. Supreme Court justices refuse to revive defamation lawsuit against Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby has been handed a small legal victory in his defamation lawsuit after justices at the U.S. Supreme Court refused to revive it on Tuesday (19Feb19).
Kathrine McKee accused The Cosby Show star of raping her in 1974, prompting the actor and comedian to deny the allegations. His lawyer sent a letter to the New York Daily News demanding a retraction of their article about the claims in 2014.
McKee argued the letter was defamatory because Cosby called her a liar by characterising her claims as “wild” and suggesting she had a criminal record. In October, 2017, a federal appeals court judge ruled the letter was protected under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, which guarantees free speech.
McKee appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, but the justices have declined to hear the case, according to Reuters.
Last year (18), Cosby was found guilty on all three counts of aggravated indecent assault at the end of a second trial linked to the rape of former Temple University staff member Andrea Constand. He was sentenced to serve three to 10 years in state prison in September and is currently serving time behind bars.