Image: Actor and comedian Bill Cosby (C) arrives for a preliminary hearing on sexual assault charges at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania February 2, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Makela
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A California judge on Tuesday ordered that a former lawyer for comedian Bill Cosby be dropped from a defamation lawsuit brought by former model Janice Dickinson, Dickinson’s attorney said.
Dickinson, who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Cosby more than 30 years ago, sued the television star and later his attorney Martin Singer last year, saying she had been defamed by their denials of her story.
But Los Angeles Superior Court judge Debre Katz Weintraub ruled on Tuesday that Singer should be dismissed from the defamation lawsuit because his name was a late amendment to Dickinson’s original complaint. Singer was dropped from Cosby’s defense team last fall.
Dickinson’s lawyer, Lisa Bloom, said the defamation case against Cosby is ongoing, with the next hearing set for Feb. 29.
“We are grateful that the court said our original complaint stands,” Bloom said.
Dickinson is one of more than 50 women who have accused Cosby, 78, of sexual assault in cases dating back decades, although many are too old to prosecute. Only one criminal prosecution has been brought against Cosby, a case that is proceeding in Pennsylvania.
Cosby has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
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