Cosby ordered to attend 2nd deposition in civil suit

A judge on Tuesday ordered Bill Cosby to attend a second deposition and respond to questions in a lawsuit filed in California by a woman accusing the comedian of sexually abusing in the 1970s when she was underage.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Craig D. Karlan ordered Cosby to attend the half-day deposition and pay the costs of conducting the second round of sworn testimony.

Cosby must provide a valid legal objection to any questions he refuses to answer, including invoking his constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination, Karlan said.

The ruling came as Cosby fights bicoastal legal battles. He appeared Tuesday in a Pennsylvania courtroom where his lawyers sought a dismissal of criminal charges against him. In Santa Monica, California, his lawyers argued that he shouldn't have to sit for another deposition in the civil case.

Another legal case was dropped Tuesday when model Chloe Goins stopped her federal lawsuit accusing Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her at the Playboy Mansion in 2008. No explanation for the dismissal was given and her attorney did not return an email message seeking comment.

The upcoming deposition involves a lawsuit by Riverside County resident Judy Huth, who claims the comedian forced her to perform a sex act on him at the Playboy Mansion in the early 1970s when she was 15.

The Associated Press does not usually name people who say they are victims of sex crimes but Huth has spoken publicly about the case in the past.

Cosby's lawyers have denied her accusation and accused her former attorney of attempting to extort the comedian.

It is unclear what questions Cosby refused to answer when he was deposed in October. Karlan has sealed court filings describing the October deposition and conducted part of Tuesday's hearing in chambers.

Huth's current attorney, Gloria Allred, said after the ruling that she felt vindicated in seeking more sworn testimony from Cosby, but she would not elaborate on what answers she was seeking.

Huth was recently deposed in the case, and Cosby's lawyers say they will bring a similar motion to compel more answers from her.

Karlan ordered Cosby's second deposition to occur by the end of February. His attorney, Randa Osman, said it would be a hardship for the 78-year-old to travel to Los Angeles for the session. He was previously deposed in Boston.

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