Cosby had no right to ban anyone from his show | Theatre lawsuit settled

Cosby had no right to ban anyone from his show

Theatre lawsuit settled

It is far from the biggest legal battle he is facing. But a judge has stated that Bill Cosby had no right to ban anyone from attending his stand-up show.

Now the theatre which turned away lawyer Gloria Allred has been told to pay her $40,000 (£30,000) and vow not to block law-abiding ticket-holders in the future.

Allred represents dozens of women who accuse him of sexual assault, so Cosby banned her from his show at the publicly-owned Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in May last year.

After showing her ticket, she was led to a side room, where she was told she was being thrown out as she was on a blacklist supplied by Cosby's production team, and that she would be arrested for criminal trespassing if she didn't leave. Her promise not to disrupt the show fell on deaf ears.

The theatre and the lawyer have now reached an agreement accepted by a federal court judge, the New York Daily News reports.

Earlier this week Cosby was given a trial date over charges he doped and assaulted Andrea Constand at his Philadelphia mansion in 2004.

Afterwards, his lawyers attacked Allred, accusing her of racism. 

‘Gloria Allred apparently loves the media spotlight more than she cares about justice,’ they said. ‘Her campaign against Mr. Cosby builds on racial bias and prejudice that can pollute the court of public opinion.’

In response, Allred said: ‘He complains about racial bias but what about the African-American women whom I represent who accuse him of sexual assault or rape and who refuse to remain silent about what they say they have suffered? I think they deserve a voice and I am proud to represent them.’

Published: 9 Sep 2016

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