Los Angeles, CA — In the past year, comedian Bill Cosby has faced intense media scrutiny for allegations of sexual assault going back 40 years. So far all of the alleged assaults took place too long ago for Cosby to be charged with a crime. However, the most recent accuser to come forward claims that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her within the statute of limitations.
Chloe Goins, 24, and her attorney, Spencer T. Kuvin, held a press event at a Los Angeles police station on Wednesday to discuss Goins’ accusation. Goins claims that Cosby, 77, gave her a drugged drink at a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” party at the Playboy Mansion in 2008, causing her to lose consciousness. According to Goins, she woke up to find that Cosby was licking her toes while masturbating. Goins was 18 at the time.
While her accusations against Cosby are similar to those of other women who have come forward in the past and recently; these are the first for which he could face potential criminal prosecution. Kuvin says that his client had previously been reluctant to accuse Cosby of sexual assault because of his fame, but that the increasing number of other accusations gave her the courage to come forward. Cosby has not responded to these newest allegations but has denied all the others so far.
The statute of limitations places a time limit on filing criminal charges and civil lawsuits. In California, these limits depend on the severity of the offense, and for certain offenses there is no time limit for filing charges. These laws are intended to limit criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits to a reasonable time period following a criminal act or breach of contract.
This is one of many legal protections afforded to people who have been accused of a crime, along with the presumption of innocence, and the right not to incriminate themselves. As a criminal defense firm that has defended clients across Southern California for more than 16 years, we’re proud of our record of protecting people’s rights.
The biggest mistake you can make when you’re up against criminal charges is to try and defend yourself. At the Law Office of Michael L. Guisti, our criminal defense attorneys will give you the benefit of their years of training and courtroom experience. We know the best strategies for fighting any criminal charges in state and federal court and are determined to provide our clients with a rigorous defense.
Our top priority is to ensure our clients’ peace of mind. We’ll do everything in our power to help you through this troubling time. Let us handle your legal issues so that you can keep your life on track. We’ve successfully helped clients have charges like sexual assault, domestic violence, fraud, theft, and murder reduced or dismissed.
We’ve helped clients from all over Orange County and we’re proud to serve the communities of Fullerton, Laguna Beach, Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach, Brea, and Anaheim. Our offices are located in Santa Ana, Irvine, Garden Grove, and Newport Beach in order to be closer to nearby courts and convenient for our clients. We are also proud to offer assistance in Spanish, Chinese, and other languages as needed.
So if you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Southern California, call the Law Office of Michael L. Guisti at (714) 707-2797.
Sources:
Serna, Joseph. “Model accuses Cosby of sexual assault; ‘power in numbers,’ attorney says.” http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bill-cosby-chloe-goins-sexual-assault-20150114-story.html. Los Angeles Times. 14 January 2015.
“Statute of limitations.” http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/statute_of_limitations. Wex Legal Dictionary, Cornell University Law School. Accessed 14 January 2015.
