A judge in Montgomery County has ordered that prosecutors can move forward with the only criminal case lodged against Bill Cosby stemming from the dozens of accusations that he molested women. The reopened, 2015 case had been facing a standstill due to Cosby’s lawyers’ assertions that ten years ago, Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor had granted Cosby immunity from prosecuted in the district.
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A judge in Pennsylvania has ruled the charges against the comedian, relating to a decade-old trial, will stand following a two-day hearing. He said that as district attorney, he considered the decision final and binding “for all time” on his successors.
Steele, who was the county’s first assistant district attorney at the time, came to her office last July and said “they were going to reopen the investigation provided my client was willing to cooperate”, Troiani testified. Cosby was claiming immunity from prosecution for the handshake deal between his lawyers in 2005.
He said he was referring in some passages to bringing charges against Cosby in connection with other women and other crimes – but not in connection with the Constand encounter in January 2004.
As the case goes forward, Cosby’s lawyers are expected to fight mightily to keep the deposition from being introduced at trial.
USA prosecutors can proceed with a sexual assault charge against comedian Bill Cosby, a judge has ruled.
More than 50 women have publicly alleged sexual abuse by the pioneering black comedian, who attained his greatest fame for his role as a lovable obstetrician and family man in the hit 1980s sitcom “The Cosby Show“.
“If other (accusers) are allowed to testify, it will be a significant issue for appeal if he is convicted, because that is extremely prejudicial”, Slotnick says.
In addition to denying the allegations, Cosby argues he’s being improperly prosecuted based on testimony he gave during a civil suit – testimony his defense says was given only because the state closed the criminal case in 2005.
“A secret agreement that permits a wealthy defendant to buy his way out of a criminal case isn’t right”, Steele said.
Mr Castor said he did not have a formal agreement with Mr Cosby’s former lawyer Walter Phillips, who is now dead, that Mr Cosby would testify in Ms Constand’s case. Constand eventually settled for an undisclosed sum.
But they were not able to produce a written agreement, instead presenting a 2005 press release from the prosecutor that they said amounted to an agreement not to prosecute Cosby.
Cosby’s attorney, Monique Pressley, previously responded to the assault charge in a statement to ABC News.
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The case against 78-year-old Cosby largely hinges on the judge’s view of Castor’s statements about whether Cosby would face charges. Prosecutors say he urged her to take pills and drink wine, leaving her unable to resist as he committed aggravated indecent assault.
