Cosby, 77, testified in a 2005 deposition that he gave Quaaludes to one young woman and “other people,” according to documents obtained by the Associated Press. The disclosure is the result of legal action taken by the AP to compel the court to release the documents.
The comedian was testifying under oath in a sexual abuse lawsuit filed by a former employee at Temple University in Philadelphia, Cosby’s alma mater. Cosby admitted to giving the employee three half-pills of Benadryl. He settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount in 2006. Two women involved in the case said they knowingly took Quaaludes from Cosby.
Cosby, one of the most popular and influential comedians in American history, has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than three dozen women. Allegations against him include drugging and rape. Cosby has never been criminally charged in connection with any of the alleged attacks, and many of the claims against him cannot be prosecuted due to statutes of limitation.
As Cosby’s accusers have increased in number, the entertainer has alternately denied any wrongdoing and refused to answer questions about the allegations.
Last December, Cosby resigned from the board of trustees at Temple University, where he was arguably the school’s most well-known alumnus.
