Setback for Jane Does in Cosby suit

A federal judge yesterday denied requests for protective orders for 10 Jane Does in the Bill Cosby civil suit.

"The Court finds that the allegations of harm by each of the Jane Doe witnesses are unsubstantiated broad allegations insufficient to establish good cause," U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno wrote in a motion denying the requests for protective orders.

The Jane Does had asked for anonymity. Their reasons included one who suffers from bipolar disorder and another who did not want to subject her elderly parents to a media frenzy.

But that doesn't mean their identities will necessarily become public, Robreno wrote. That's up to parties in the case.

"Because the court will not protect the identities, it does not mean that the parties are required to disclose them," he wrote.

"Pretrial discovery is ordinarily conducted in private, and its fruits are not made public unless they are filed (or made part of a filing) with the court. "

Ralph Jacobs, who represents Jane Doe No. 12 and who argued the motion on behalf of nine of the Jane Does, said he was disappointed in the ruling.

"But as I read the judge's order he pointed out that this kind of information is ordinarily not made public," Jacobs said. "It's up to Mr. Cosby and his lawyers to decide what they want to do. "

Andrew Schau, one of Cosby's attorneys, had no comment. CLICK FOR MORE