Three more women have come forward with accusations of sexual assault against famed comedian and actor Bill Cosby, USA Today reports.
The move brings the total to almost 50 women who say the star took advantage of them over a span of decades.
Attorney Gloria Allred introduced the clients, who claimed to have been abused by Cosby at a press conference in Los Angeles. The new accusers include two actors and a flight attendant.
Close to three dozen women appeared on the cover of New York Magazine, all accusing the star of sexual assault. They each sat in chairs on the cover, with the last chair remaining empty.
“It is my turn to take the empty chair, ” said Linda Ridgeway Whitedeer, a former actress during the press conference.
Whitedeer said she met Cosby through her ex-husband who was an executive at Cosby’s agency. She said Cosby forced her to perform oral sex on her while they were in an empty room on a movie set in 1971. Whitedeer said she never spoke of the incident because she promised her ex that she wouldn’t embarrass him because Cosby was too powerful in the entertainment industry.
Actress Eden Tirl accused Cosby of sexually harassing her. She claims he grabbed and hugged her in an overly intimate way when she appeared on The Cosby Show during the fifth season in 1989. Tirl says she admired Cosby from childhood, often praising him and the show for putting African Americans on television.
Last week, Cosby was ordered to give a deposition in October regarding allegations of sexual assault brought forth by Judy Huth.
Counsel representing the star have repeatedly denied the allegations.
