HOLLYWOOD - The nine women involved in funnyman Bill Cosby's sexual assault lawsuit haveappealed to a Philadelphia judge for anonymity, fearing the exposing of their
names would discourage other abuse victims from speaking out.
Canadian Andrea Constand accused the comedian of drugging and sexually
assaulting her in a civil lawsuit in January--a year after the alleged
incident in his Pennsylvania home.
Cosby acknowledge he knows the woman and only gave her a sleeping pill and a
muffin when she reported having problems sleeping, but vehemently denies
assaulting her.
In court on June 22, attorney Ralph Attorney, who represents one
of the women called to testify, asked District Judge Eduardo Robreno, "I urge
the court not to say to these women that the price of coming forward is to be
immediately swept into the publicity maelstrom."
While Cosby's attorney Patrick O'Connor said he was not opposed to
confidentiality, he was concerned the women would abuse their protection and
"speak to the press under the cloak of anonymity".
Cosby, 67, was friends with Constand for several years, having go to know her
through fundraising events at his former college Temple University - where
Constand was once employed.
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