LAPD Investigate Bill Cosby Sex Assault Claims

POLICE INthe US have begun an investigation into claims the comedian Bill Cosby molested a woman when she was 15 years old.

The investigation was opened after Judy Huth, who is suing Cosby for sexual battery, met Los Angeles police detectives for 90 minutes.

 LAPD officer Jane Kim confirmed the department had opened its investigation after the meeting.
Ms Huth's civil suit claims Cosby forced her to perform a sex act on him in a bedroom of the Playboy Mansion in LA in 1974. His lawyers have dismissed the claim as "patently false".

Celebrity women's rights lawyer Gloria Allred said Ms Huth met two special victim unit detectives on Friday, three days after her lawsuit was filed.

 "We are going to provide any and all evidence that she has," Ms Allred said.Police did not give any additional details about the investigation. Cosby's lawyer, Martin Singer, has accused Ms Huth and another lawyer of extortion and said she attempted to sell her story to a tabloid newspaper a decade earlier.



Mr Singer's filing states the other lawyer, Marc Strecker, first demanded $100,000 for Ms Huth to
remain silent, then raised the demand to $250,000 as more women came for- ward accusing Cosby of sexual misconduct.

Cosby, 77, has been accused by more than 15 women in recent weeks of sexual misconduct, ranging from incidents of groping to incidents of drugging and raping.

 He has never been charged with a crime, and his lawyers have denied many of the allegations, calling them discredited and defamatory. On Thursday, Los Angeles police chief Charlie Beck said the force would be willing to investigate sexual abuse allegations against Cosby if someone files a complaint.

He said: "We don't turn people away because things are out of statute. You come to us, especially with a sexual allegation, and we will work with you.

"The remedies may be limited but it's important to recognise that in many cases going through the process for a victim is very therapeutic so we address these things seriously and it's not just because it's Mr Cosby.

"Cosby has yet to respond himself to the allegations but has cancelled a number of public appearances in recent weeks.

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