Who is Lili Bernard? Actress on The Cosby Show who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault
ACTOR Bill Cosby was found guilty of drugging and molesting a woman almost two decades ago.
The 84-year-old is now a free man having spent just two of the sentenced 10 years behind bars. However, one of the accusers who didn't see their cases reach a criminal courtroom was Lili Bernard who filed a lawsuit against Cosby on October 14.
Who is Lili Bernard?
Cuban born Lili Bernard is a visual artist, actor and writer who has accused Bill Cosby of drugging and raping her in the 1990s.
Ms Bernard guest starred in The Cosby Show as Mrs Minifield in 1984.
She has also appeared in Seinfeld and Golden Years.
The mum-of-six lives in Los Angeles and has also campaigned for greater opportunities for black artists.
Her own work explores sexism and racism past and present.
What did she accuse Bill Cosby of?
At a press conference in 2015 Lili Bernard alleged that Cosby gave her a drugged drink and raped her.
She claims the actor had offered to mentor her after she appeared on The Cosby Show and the pair formed a friendship.
Speaking alongside co-accuser Sammie Mays, Ms Bernard said, "He praised me. ... He lifted me up. I believed him. After all, he was Bill Cosby. After he had won my complete trust and adoration, he drugged me and raped me."
Ms Bernard also made a complaint to cops but prosecutors did not proceed because the alleged offence was before 1996, when the statute of limitation for sexual assault was lifted in New Jersey.
Describing why she spoke out Ms Bernard said: "I am coming forward to show my 6-year-old daughter to stand in truth, and to say that I have survived Bill Cosby's drugging and raping me.
"I stand here to take back my power and to confront the fear that has paralysed me for so many years."
In October 2021, Lili filed a lawsuit against the disgraced comedian, stating that she still lives in fear.
She said: "I have waited a long time to be able to pursue my case in court and I look forward to being heard and to hold Cosby accountable for what he did to me.
"Although it occurred long ago, I still live with the fear, pain and shame every day of my life."
What happened in Bill Cosby's trial?
Almost 60 women have claimed Cosby sexually assaulted them since 2000.
But as many of the alleged offences are historic, and beyond the statute of limitations for sexual assault, only one case is currently due to be tried.
Cosby is accused of incapacitating Temple University employee Andrea Constand with blue pills and then molesting her while she drifted in and out of consciousness at his Philadelphia mansion in 2004.
The comedian claims the encounter was consensual and has always denied any wrongdoing.
The trial got underway in 2017 and the jury were in a deadlock and unable to agree on a verdict, so the judge declared a mistrial.
Following a 2018 re-trial, on April 26, Bill Cosby was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constrand.
A jury outside Philadelphia convicted the Cosby Show star of three counts of aggravated indecent assault.
His lawyer called Constand a "con artist" who levelled false accusations against Cosby so she could sue him.
Cosby was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but only served two years after his conviction was overturned.
What did Lili Bernard say about the verdict?
After the verdict, Lili thanked the MeToo movement for helping get Cosby evicted.
She told journalists: "I feel like I'm dreaming.
"Can you pinch me? I feel like my faith in humanity is restored."
She later added: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but today it has bent towards justice.
"Last year when I was sitting in the courtroom of the first trial and the verdict was hung, I left with such a tremendous sense of of disappointment.
"And it became evident to me that the justice system is light years behind modern culture. But today this jury has shown that what the MeToo movement has (been) saying is that women are worthy of being believed. And I thank the jury. I thank the prosecution."