Bill Cosby’s Wife Makes Late Bid to Delay Deposition

Camille Cosby files an emergency motion to postpone legal proceeding scheduled for Monday in Massachusetts

Camille and Bill Cosby
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Camille Cosby, wife of embattled comedian Bill Cosby, filed an emergency motion to stay a deposition scheduled for tomorrow in Massachusetts.

Claiming she “has had no involvement with the facts or allegations underlying” a suit filed by Tamara Green and other accusers who claim they were defamed by statements from her husband’s defense team, the document filed late Saturday on Camille Cosby’s behalf said that any deposition would create “an unnecessary media circus and personal security threat that serves no purpose other than to harass and embarrass her.”

The accusers named as plaintiffs in the defamation suit claim they were disparaged on Bill Cosby‘s behalf after they accused him of sexual misconduct, and have called on his wife to testify.

A ruling on Feb. 11 allowed Camille Cosby to decline answering certain questions, based on Massachusetts’ marital disqualification rule, but a decision issued on Friday denied her motion from the day prior requesting changes to the scope of the scheduled deposition.

Cosby’s defense said the decision failed to consider the impact of the Feb. 11 ruling, calling it “clearly erroneous.” The filing went on to claim that the court wrongly penalized her for waiting too long to submit her request and filing a “rehash” of prior arguments.

As a result, she argued, Monday’s deposition should be postponed.

In a subsequent response, Green’s attorneys quoted U.S. Magistrate Judge David Hennessy with regard to the Cosbys’ “eleventh hour” motion, which he said “border[s] on bad faith.”

They also claim the Cosbys’ request “was wrong on the merits,” as it was predicated on the Cosbys’ “erroneous contention” that the Green team is obligated to disclose its questions prior to the deposition.

“The Cosbys are now attempting a fourth bite at the apple,” the response reads, “by filing their Objections close to midnight on the Saturday preceding Mrs. Cosby’s Monday deposition.”

Bill Cosby 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 former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. Cosby has denied the accusations.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

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