Woman seeks revival of defamation suit against Bill Cosby
BOSTON — A woman who says Bill Cosby raped her in a Michigan hotel room more than four decades ago should be allowed to sue for defamation, because the comedian “knows she is not lying about the rape,” her attorney said Wednesday.
F. William Salo told a three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Cosby destroyed Katherine McKee’s reputation when his lawyer wrote a letter demanding a retraction of a 2014 New York Daily News story about her rape allegations.
“For the past 40 years, Cosby has used his ability and his power as someone who can manipulate the media to intimidate, harass and keep his accusers silent,” Salo said. “That’s what happened to Katherine McKee.”
McKee was among dozens of women who came forward with allegations against the actor once known as “America’s Dad” for his TV role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable. McKee claims Cosby raped her in a Detroit hotel room in 1974. Cosby has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.