Camille Cosby to be deposed in defamation case next month

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Bill Cosby will not be deposed next month in a lawsuit accusing him of defaming seven women who accuse him of sexual assault, but his wife will be, a federal judge ruled today.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Hennessy agreed to hold off on the comedian's deposition, scheduled for Feb. 22, as Cosby now faces criminal charges in Pennsylvania. His wife, Camille, will instead be deposed that day, the judge said.

Camille Cosby had been set to be deposed by lawyers for the women this month, but, at her lawyer's request, Hennessy agreed to a postponement as her lawyers appeal his decision to deny their bid to throw out the subpoena altogether.

Judge Hennessy also rejected a proposal by the comedian's lawyers that would have kept a significant amount of material in the case out of the public eye.

Instead, he proposed more limited protections focused on certain sensitive information that might be disclosed in depositions, such as Social Security numbers, bank accounts and addresses. The order would not affect other materials and documents gathered in the pretrial discovery phase.

Both sides in court agreed to put the procedure in writing by Jan. 20.