Despite the distance between a busy California courtroom and her quiet Northern New Mexico home, the March 23 ruling has given a local woman a long-awaited sense of relief.
Donna Motsinger, 84, stood her ground against one of the most famous men in the world—and won.
On March 23, a California jury found comedian Bill Cosby liable for the sexual battery and assault of Motsinger dating back to 1972. The jury awarded Motsinger a total of $59.25 million, a historic judgment that serves as a powerful validation of a truth she carried for 54 years.
The journey to the verdict was not an easy one. Motsinger had to leave her husband, Ted, for nearly a month while the trial took place in California. Her departure was weighed down by worry, as Ted has been battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“I was worried about leaving Ted by himself, but amazingly he was feeling good at the time I left,” Motsinger said. “I had a couple friends and family stop by to help Ted while I was gone but I’m so happy to be back home in Questa.”
For decades, Motsinger believed she had no chance of bringing her case to trial due to the statute of limitations. That changed with California’s “Lookback” law (AB-2777), which took effect in January 2023. The legislation created a temporary window for survivors to seek civil justice for historical assaults.
Encouraged by her lawyers and the stories of other survivors, Motsinger made the trip to California last month.
The trial revisited a night in 1972 when Motsinger, then a young server in Sausalito, was drugged and assaulted. After only two days of deliberation, the jury sided with her, awarding nearly $20 million for emotional distress and “loss of enjoyment of life.”
The second phase of the trial added an additional $40 million in punitive damages.
“After the initial verdict of the $19 million, I stepped out of the courtroom to get something to eat,” Motsinger recalled. “When I came back, I found out about the $40 million. My lawyers made it a point to send a message to the rich and famous that they cannot continue to prey on vulnerable people.”
Despite the massive sum, Motsinger maintains the case was never about the money. “All I ever wanted was for him to be liable. I didn’t care if I won $1.50,” she said.
Motsinger is one of at least 60 women who have publicly accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. Her victory comes at a time of a broader national reckoning. On March 18, civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, 95, broke a 60-year silence regarding her own experiences with abuse in the farmworker movement, citing a “movement above self” mentality that kept many women of that era quiet.
Motsinger hopes her outcome encourages others to speak. “I want women to know they can take back their power,” she said. “If you have an opportunity to speak about what has happened to you, you do it for yourself. It’s healing and it’s closure.”
The impact is already being felt. Within the first week of the ruling, Motsinger noted that 10 women have already reached out to her—some in person—to share that they, too, have been victims.
As Donna settles back into her life in Questa, she’s not just a neighbor anymore—she’s living proof that peace and justice is possible for everyone else.
