Actress Lily Bernard filed a lawsuit in New Jersey against comedian Bill Cosby on Thursday, alleging that he drugged and raped her in 1990.
“It’s surreal, it’s empowering. I’m grateful to my attorneys, to the activists, legislators and governor of New Jersey for allowing me this opportunity to hold Bill Cosby accountable for the life-altering sexual crimes he inflicted upon me,” said Bernard, sitting in between her two attorneys, on CNN Newsroom on Friday. “I’m grateful that I’m going to be able to present my evidence, testimony and witnesses in a court of law, and I’m hoping that my case will inspire other states to also pass the Adult Survivors Act so that other survivors across the nation can see their day in court and clearly since only 2 percent of rapists ever see a day behind bars, that evidence is that our criminal justice system is stacked against survivors.”
Co-host Alisyn Camerota asked Bernard what the 31 years since the alleged incident have been like for her.
“Every day I live with the fear and the pain of the crimes that Bill Cosby inflicted upon me. I suffer panic attacks and night terrors of the Cosby trauma regularly. I am a mother of six children, so of course I have to stand strong and be there for them,” replied Bernard. “I’m also an actor and an artist, so I find comfort in my art, but it’s
The lawsuit was able to be filed due to New Jersey’s 2019 overhaul of its sexual assault statute of limitations that includes a two-year window, which ends next month, that allows for such cases to be brought regardless of when the alleged incident happened.
Cosby was released from prison, where he served a sentence of between three and 10 years in prison for allegedly assaulting a woman, in June.
Watch above, via CNN.