Bill Cosby Fires Back at Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
Comedian is countersuing for monetary damages and suit's dismissal.
Dec. 4, 2014— -- After weeks of sexual assault allegations from a parade of women, Bill Cosby is fighting back.
The 77-year-old comedian filed a lawsuit today against Judy Huth, who claims Cosby forced her to perform a sex act in 1974 at the Playboy Mansion, when she was 15.
In documents obtained by ABC News, Cosby alleges that not only is Huth lying but that she filed the lawsuit after failing to extort money from him. Cosby is asking a judge to dismiss the lawsuit and is seeking monetary damages from Huth and her attorney.
In his filing today, Cosby says Huth's lawyer approached the comedian's attorney, Marty Singer, last month and made "ominous references" to 'criminal penalties.'" According to the lawsuit, Huth's lawyer demanded $100,000 for her silence, and later increased the amount to $250,000 as additional women came forward.
"Through her lawyer, Plaintiff made extortionate claims to Mr. Cosby (through his counsel) about criminal penalties, coupled with ever-increasing demands for a six-figure payday to keep quiet about her long-since-expired claims," the documents state.
The suit claims that after Cosby's attorney rejected Huth's claims and accused her of extortion, her attorney filed a lawsuit two days ago against the comedian.
Cosby also alleges that Huth tried to sell her story to tabloids 10 years ago, but is now claiming that she repressed the memory of what happened until recently in order to file her civil lawsuit.
The documents claim that Huth's story falls apart when she alleges that she and the comedian "engaged in a drinking game" in which they "both consumed three beers." Singer states in the suit, "It is a well-known, and easily verifiable, that Mr. Cosby is a life-long non-drinker."
Huth's attorney did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment about today's filing.
Singer also did not return requests for comment today, but in a statement last month, he called the recent allegations against Cosby "unsubstantiated, fantastical stories."
The suit comes a day after Cosby broke his silence on Twitter to thank two of his supporters.
On Wednesday, the 77-year-old comedian thanked Whoopi Goldberg and singer Jill Scott for their support.
Thank you @MissJillScott, from the Cosby Family.
— Bill Cosby (@BillCosby) December 3, 2014,Thank you @WhoopiGoldberg.
— Bill Cosby (@BillCosby) December 3, 2014,@SimplyBerry u know Bill Cosby? I do child and this is insane. Proof. Period.
— ?Jill Scott? (@missjillscott) November 30, 2014,@JasBaileyTweets @SimplyBerry @curlyheadRED I'm not dismissing. I'm just not quick to scorn a man who's inspired sincere good.
— ?Jill Scott? (@missjillscott) December 1, 2014
But the comedian remains under fire.
On Wednesday, two new alleged victims came forward, increasing the number to at least 18. Civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred also urged the "Cosby Show" star to face his accusers in court or set up a $100 million fund to settle their sexual abuse claims.
And earlier today, the Navy announced in a statement to The Associated Press that it was revoking his title of honorary chief petty officer, saying allegations of sexual abuse made against the comedian are serious and conflict with the Navy's core values.
Cosby enlisted in the Navy in 1956 and served four years as a hospital corpsman, before he was honorably discharged in 1960 as a 3rd Class Petty Officer. He received the honorary title in 2011.
Thank you @MissJillScott, from the Cosby Family.
Thank you @WhoopiGoldberg.
Earlier this month on "The View," Goldberg said she was reserving judgment about the comic icon.
"I hope somebody gets to the bottom of this, but I’m going to reserve my judgment because I have a lot of questions, as I said. It’s crazy, but I have a lot of questions, because I know we all have friends who have gone through this," she told her fellow co-hosts.
Scott came to Cosby's defense on Twitter over the weekend.
@SimplyBerry u know Bill Cosby? I do child and this is insane. Proof. Period.
@JasBaileyTweets @SimplyBerry @curlyheadRED I'm not dismissing. I'm just not quick to scorn a man who's inspired sincere good.
But the comedian remains under fire.
On Wednesday, two new alleged victims came forward, increasing the number to at least 18. Civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred also urged the "Cosby Show" star to face his accusers in court or set up a $100 million fund to settle their sexual abuse claims.
And earlier today, the Navy announced in a statement to The Associated Press that it was revoking his title of honorary chief petty officer, saying allegations of sexual abuse made against the comedian are serious and conflict with the Navy's core values.
Cosby enlisted in the Navy in 1956 and served four years as a hospital corpsman, before he was honorably discharged in 1960 as a 3rd Class Petty Officer. He received the honorary title in 2011.