Add another item to the list of vile acts that Bill Cosby has been accused of: Bullying.
In a new filing, Cosby accuser Andrea Constand and her mother, Gianna Constand, say the comedian is using “bullying tactics.”
The papers, filed in federal court in Pennsylvania on Monday, say that Cosby has used the confidentiality agreement between himself and Constand to “intimidate witnesses” and to “conduct a media blitz in an attempt to sway public opinion while silencing those most knowledgeable about his claims.”
The Constands are seeking to void the confidentiality agreement and to prevent Cosby from filing an un-redacted complaint under seal. They allege that Cosby has used filings under seal to create “a shadow court system” free from the prying eyes of the public.
Cosby is suing the Constands as well as National Enquirer parent company American Media Inc., among others, for allegedly breaching the confidentiality agreement.
“The inescapable message of [Cosby’s] lawsuit is that if Andrea Constand, her mother and/or her counsel testify in the criminal case, Cosby will do his best to misuse the court system to hurt them,” the papers read. “By repeated filings ‘under seal’ Cosby has created a shadow court system, in which he is free to make any inconsistent and opposing allegations he chooses without the deterrent scrutiny.”
Former Temple University employee Constand sued Cosby in 2005, claiming he had sexually assaulted her. They settled the next year, in a settlement that included a confidentiality agreement. However, Cosby was recently slapped with a criminal charge stemming from Constand’s accusations. Cosby claims that the Constands “voluntarily participated” in the investigation that led to the criminal case, thus violating the confidentiality agreement.
The comedian has been accused of rape or sexual assault by dozens of women, many of whom claim that he had drugged them beforehand. In addition to multiple civil cases, Cosby faces a criminal case in Pennsylvania, based on the accusations of Constand. Cosby has denied the accusations.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.