Bill Cosby is fighting to keep court documents from a sexual assault case he settled in 2005 from being unsealed, and potentially embarrassing him publicly.
"It would be terribly embarrassing for this material to come out," his lawyer, George M. Gowen III, argued in a court brief,
according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"There is a voracious media appetite for Defendant’s deposition, and public release of it would quickly become widespread . . . There is no doubt that public disclosure of the motions and Defendant’s sworn deposition testimony, which delves into the most intimate subjects imaginable, would generate a firestorm of publicity."
When Cosby settled his 2005 lawsuit with Andrea Constand, who accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her, The Associated Press filed motions challenging the sealing of the case. The judge ultimately sided with Cosby and ordered the case sealed, however the AP has now sent a letter to the court requesting another review under a civil procedure that presumes the unsealing of records after two years.
Gowen argued against that motion, saying details about Cosby's health, use of prescription drugs, financial affairs, and personal relationships recorded during deposition testimony are not subject to public scrutiny. He also said breaking the seal would undermine the settlement terms with Constand, and cause chaos for a new defamation suit brought by one of his many sexual assault accusers who've come forward over the past year.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno asked, "Why would he be embarrassed by his own version of the facts?"
Robreno did not indicate when or how he will rule, and
the AP noted that he could find middle ground, ordering only some documents unsealed or the full case unsealed with redactions.