Judge orders Bill Cosby deposition in Janice Dickinson's defamation lawsuit over sexual assault allegations

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Bill Cosby and his former attorney have been ordered to give their sworn testimony for Janice Dickinson's defamation lawsuit.

The model, who is among dozens of women that claim Cosby molested them, is suing the disgraced comedian over his denial that he drugged and raped her in 1982.

Now Los Angeles Superior Court judge Debre Katz Weintraub has ruled the star and his former lawyer Martin Singer be deposed before November 25. 

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Bill Cosby (left) and his former attorney have been ordered to give their sworn testimony for Janice Dickinson's (file picture, right) defamation lawsuit 

Dickinson sued Cosby in May, claiming she has been re-victimized and her reputation has suffered because of pointed denials by Cosby's attorney that the comedian drugged and raped her in a Lake Tahoe, California, hotel room more than 30 years ago.

She said she never reported the alleged rape to authorities and has said she was afraid if she did that her career would be damaged and Cosby would retaliate.

The suit detailed Dickinson's allegations that Cosby raped her after giving her wine and a pill in the hotel room, and how she wanted to go public with her story in a 2002 autobiography but was prevented from doing so by the book's publisher.

'I was drugged and raped by Bill Cosby,' Dickinson told Entertainment Tonight earlier this year. 'And the fact that he and his spokespeople have called me a liar - referring to remarks that I've made - it's just not correct.  

'I was drugged and raped by Bill Cosby': Janice Dickinson, pictured here in an interview with Entertainment Tonight alongside her attorney, has sued Bill Cosby for defamation on claims her reputation was tarnished when the comedian called her claims he drugged and raped her in 1982 'fabricated lies'

'I want to fight. I want to fight this and let everyone know that I'm not being paid anything monetarily to do this. It's just the right thing to do.' 

Cosby's lawyers are attempting to throw out the case while Dickinson's attorneys argued they needed sworn testimony from the comedian and Singer to properly oppose their efforts.

Martin Singer, who has forged a reputation as protector of Hollywood celebrities, represented Cosby for more than a decade until he was replaced by the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan last month.

In 2006, the lawyer was sued by Andrea Constand, a Temple University worker who accused Cosby of abusing her. 

Similarly to Dickinson's case, Constand's sued for defamation after Singer denied Cosby drugged and abused her.

The lawsuit also revealed Singer had been involved in a deal with the National Enquirer that granted the magazine an exclusive interview with the comedian in exchange for killing a story about another woman accusing Cosby of abuse.

Constand reached a settlement before trial. 

Mr Singer had represented Cosby in the Huth case and in a defamation suit issued by Janice Dickinson

Singer also issued numerous denials that Cosby had drugged and raped women, including Dickinson's claims last year.

The judge cited the denial and said ultimately it may be able to prove that Cosby's denials, or Dickinson's claims that she was raped, are true.

'In other words, either the rape did occur or it did not occur,' Weintraub said. 

The ruling states Dickinson's lawyers can only ask Cosby and Singer questions to determine whether the star's and his attorney's denials were made maliciously.

Cosby and Singer will be allowed to assert attorney-client privilege to refuse to answer some questions.

Neither Cosby, 78, nor Dickinson, 60, attended Monday's hearing. 

The decision comes just weeks after Cosby was forced to testify under oath for the first time in response to a civil case brought by Judy Huth.

His testimony will remain sealed until a hearing on December 22 which will decide whether it should be made public.

Huth has accused Cosby of forcing her to perform a sex act at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in 1974 when she was aged 15. As she was minor at the time, her case can still be heard.

Evidence? Dickinson has revealed dated-looking photographs of a robe-wearing Cosby she says she took in the hotel room where she claims he sexually assaulted her in Lake Tahoe 

Lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents Ms Huth, said she wanted to question the former Cosby Show star under oath for a second time.

Cosby, 78, has previously said Ms Huth's claims are 'absolutely false'. 

It was the first time the disgraced comedian had testified under oath since more than 50 women came forward with allegations including drugging, sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape - all of which Cosby denies.

In the vast majority of cases, the alleged incidents date back decades, meaning they fall outside the time limit for legal action.

The flood of accusations began a year ago when Barbara Bowman went public in a Daily Mail Online interview to describe her ordeal at his hands.

Cosby also faces a defamation case brought by three women -  Tamara Green, Therese Serignese and Linda Traitz. 

They claimed the comedian publicly called them liars through statements issued by his representatives in which they also used disparaging language.

The trio have accused Cosby of drugging them and then having unwanted sexual contact with them. 

In response to their original allegations, Mr Singer, an attorney representing Cosby, dismissed their claims as 'unsubstantiated', 'ridiculous' and 'an absurd fabrication'. 

Cosby has not been charged in connection with any of the allegations. 

He admits to extra-marital affairs but he and his lawyers deny all the allegations of criminal wrongdoing.

Last month, another woman, known only as Dottye, joined Cosby's list of accusers.

The woman said she was an aspiring actress when she was drugged and raped by Cosby in 1984 at a New York house where she had gone for a private audition.

She had sent flowers, a photograph and a resume to Cosby after missing the open audition for his new program, The Cosby Show. She said she was stunned to receive an invitation to audition for its star at a brownstone on the Upper East Side.

Before she began her prepared monologue he offered her a drink 'to relax' herself, she said.

The next thing she knew, he was spinning her around the room until she felt was dizzy and vomited. 

She says her memory became 'foggy' after that point but she remembers being raped.

Cosby has never been charged in connection with any of the allegations.