Bill Cosby goes on trial Monday,
accused of drugging and sexually
assaulting a woman at his Philadelphia
mansion 13 years ago, with the
megastar turned pariah facing prison
if convicted.
For decades, he was “ America ’s Dad,”
loved by millions for his role as an
affable obstetrician and benevolent
father on “ The Cosby Show ,” one of the
most popular series in the history of
US television .
On Monday, the disgraced 79 - year- old
will walk into Montgomery County
Courthouse to face three counts of
aggravated indecent assault , which
each carry a maximum sentence of 10
years in jail and a $ 25 , 000 fine .
Around 60 women have publicly
accused the pioneering black
comedian of being a serial sexual
predator for decades, shredding his
reputation, ending his career and
leaving him isolated by friends and
celebrities.
But the trial concerns the allegations
of just one woman, a former Temple
University employee. It is the only
criminal case as the vast majority of
alleged abuse happened too long ago
to prosecute .
In the imposing court in Norristown ,
just outside Philadelphia , a 12 - person
jury , two of whom are African
Americans , will determine Cosby’s
guilt or innocence in a trial expected
to last two weeks .
It will be one of America ’ s biggest
celebrity trials in years .
Several of Cosby’ s co- stars from
1984- 1992 sitcom “ The Cosby Show ”
are reported to attend . More than 100
journalists are expected to attend the
trial , with dozens of broadcasters and
photographers expected to camp
outside .
If convicted , he risks spending the rest
of his days behind bars. If acquitted,
and claiming to be legally blind as a
result of glaucoma, Cosby’ s career is
unlikely to recover .
– Her word against his –
His accuser is Andrea Constand, 44 ,
who at the time was director of
basketball operations at Temple
University , where Cosby served on the
Board of Trustees until his resignation
in a blaze of scandal in 2014 .
Constand says Cosby, whom she
considered a mentor, plied her with
pills and wine , before sexually
assaulting her on his couch in 2004
after seeking his advice on moving to
Canada and switching careers.
Cosby says he gave her Benadryl to
relieve stress , insists their sexual
relations were consensual and accuses
her of lying .
Constand, who is gay and lives in
Canada , waited a year to report the
incident and initially settled the case
with a civil suit in 2006.
The case was re - opened in 2015 by
Montgomery County prosecutor Kevin
Steele , who claimed new evidence had
come to light . The actor was arraigned
in December 2015 and released on a
$ 1 million bail .
But securing a conviction or an
acquittal will be fraught with
difficulties — and ultimately comes
down to her word against his.
The prosecution asked for 13 other
Cosby accusers to testify , but Judge
Steven O ’Neill has permitted only one
in addition to Constand.
They will likely introduce a 2005 court
deposition, in which Cosby admitted
obtaining sedatives with a view to
having sex.
– Sequestered jury –
The defense will seek to undermine
Constand’s credibility by highlighting
her delay in coming forward and
apparent willingness to continue to
meet Cosby after the incident.
The jury was selected in Pittsburgh
because the defense argued it would
have been impossible to get a fair
panel locally because of the publicity.
They will be sequestered for the trial .
While Cosby has said he does not
expect to testify , his lawyers have not
ruled out the possibility entirely .
In her original deposition in January
2005, Constand said the actor handed
her three pills and urged her to sip
wine. Within minutes, she claimed to
have “ blurred vision” and no strength
in her legs.
“ They felt rubbery and like jelly ,” she
alleged .
Cosby then laid her down on a couch
and allegedly fondled her breasts , put
his fingers in her vagina and put her
hand on his erect penis .
The comedian, actor, author and
philanthropist attained his greatest
fame for his role as Cliff Huxtable on
“ The Cosby Show , ” jettisoning a man
raised by a maid and a US Navy cook
into a life of fame and wealth.
His wife of 53 years, Camille , has stood
by his side, but it remains unclear if
she will attend the trial in person.
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