Bill Cosby thinks he’s facing too many lawsuits right now, according to court papers obtained by TheWrap.
Cosby is firing back at his insurance company, which is suing him in relation to a defamation lawsuit he’s facing.
AIG Property Casualty Company, the scandal-plagued comedian’s homeowner’s insurance provider, filed suit against Cosby in June. The AIG lawsuit came on the heels of a complaint filed by Cosby accusers Tamara Green, Therese Serignese and Linda Traitz, who claim that Cosby defamed them via statements made in the media. AIG is asking for an order declaring that it’s not responsible for indemnifying or defending Cosby from the claims made by the trio.
But Cosby is seeking to have that lawsuit dismissed, or at least set aside for the time being, claiming that it’s not fair that he should face all of these suits at the same time.
“[R]ather than acting in Mr. Cosby’s best interests, AIG launched not one, but two, separate lawsuits against Mr. Cosby one opposite coasts. [Cosby is also being sued by model Janice Dickinson for defamation.] In doing so, AIG placed its interests ahead of Mr. Cosby’s, jeopardizing his defense in the underlying litigation, forcing him to litigate on multiple fronts,and forcing him to divert time and financial resources,” Cosby’s filing reads.
“AIG must wait its turn and allow for the progression of the underlying lawsuits instead of forcing multiple courts to address the same legal issues and overlapping factual issues, all with the risk of a multitude of conflicting decisions.”
Cosby also claims that AIG’s suits serve to “bolster” his accusers.
“[N]ot only does AIG’s action bolster the underlying plaintiffs, who will perceive Mr. Cosby as under attack even from his supposed backers, but it splits Mr. Cosby’s focus and drains his resources,” the filing reads.
In recent months, Cosby has been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women, with many of the accusers claiming that he drugged them beforehand.
Cosby’s attorney, Martin Singer, has publicly denied sexual assault claims leveled at his client.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.