On Tuesday, a Black former Tesla worker rejected a $15 million award in his lawsuit that alleged racial abuse by coworkers. 

Owen Diaz, a former elevator operator at Tesla’s flagship assembly plant in Fremont, California, sued the company in 2017, alleging that he was harassed and faced “daily racist epithets,” including the “N-word,” while working at the plant. 

The suit alleged that employees drew swastikas, left racist graffiti and drawings around the plant and that supervisors failed to stop the abuse.

Diaz was originally awarded $6.9 million in damages for emotional distress and $130 million in punitive damages in the case, however in April U.S. District Judge Wiliam Orrick decreased the jury’s award by nearly 90% to $15 million.

Lawyers representing Diaz said the award was turned down because their client feels it was unjust and would not deter future misconduct by Tesla. 

“In rejecting the court’s excessive reduction by asking for a new trial, Mr. Diaz is again asking a jury of his peers to evaluate what Tesla did to him and to provide just compensation for the torrent of racist slurs that was directed at him,” his lawyers said.

Tesla has denied wrongdoing and says it has policies in place to prevent and address workplace misconduct.

Diaz’s rejection of the award could mean a new trial in the case.

On Tuesday, a civil jury reached a verdict in the case against Bill Cosby stemming from an alleged incident of sexual assault at the Playboy Mansion in 1975. 

According to a civil lawsuit filed by Judith Huth in 2014, Cosby made her drink alcohol “as part of a game” before taking her to an isolated bedroom in the Playboy Mansion. Once there, she said he kissed her on the mouth, and attempted to put his hands down her pants. She said after she told him she was on her period, he put her hand on his erect penis and made her masturbate him. At the time of alleged sexual act, Cosby was 38 and Huth was 16.

The 12 jurors began deliberations on Thursday morning, after a two-week trial.

Cosby was not present in the courtroom during deliberations and did not testify during the trial, however a video deposition was played during the proceedings.

In the deposition Cosby was asked whether it was possible that these things happened but he didn’t remember them. He answered “no.”

“Why would that not be possible?” Huth’s attorney, Nathan Goldberg, asked.

“Because,” Cosby replied, “the fact that this young lady is saying that she told me she was 15.”

Huth took the stand June 7 after Judge Karlan ordered her to testify.

Huth, who is now 64-years-old, said she entered a dark period of isolation and depression after the alleged sexual assault. She said she always went back to the alleged attack in her mind, especially when other women began accusing Cosby of similar behavior. 

Cosby’s legal team tried to point out discrepancies in Huth’s timeline of the events. Originally Huth said the alleged incident occurred in 1974 when she was 15, but then changed her story to say it happened in 1975 when she was 16. They also pointed out discrepancies in Huth’s description of the  game room, saying that photos of the room showed a different layout than she had described. 

Huth shrugged off many of the questions regarding the discrepancies, responding with some variation of “I was inaccurate” or “I don’t remember.”

Ultimately, the jury voted 9-3 that Cosby’s conduct did not rise to the level of awarding any punitive damages, and 9-3 that the damages awarded to Huth should be $500,000.