The Surprising Reason a Bill Cosby Accuser Withdrew Her Defamation Lawsuit Against Him – One Day Aft

For Kristina Ruehli suing entertainer Bill Cosby for defamation was never about the money. It was about clearing her name.

Last Friday, a day after a federal judge denied Cosby’s motion to dismiss her case – a huge victory for her – she withdrew her lawsuit.

“I put my money where my mouth was – I spent nearly $100,000 on lawyers – to prove that I was telling the truth … about this monster,” Ruehli, 73, tells PEOPLE. “I have stood up for myself. Now it’s time to go back to my happy life, lose some weight and weed my garden.”

Andrew Wyatt, Cosby’s spokesman, quickly released a statement declaring the withdrawal a victory.

“This is now the second of these defamation cases that has been dismissed, either by a Court or by a party,” the statement said. “We hope and expect that there will be more, and we look forward to fighting any that are not dismissed, before a jury of our peers. CLICK FOR MORE