Bill Cosby’s sexual-assault case appears to be headed toward an evidence hearing after a Pennsylvania judge refused to halt the criminal proceedings and ask the state Superior Court to review a key pretrial issue.
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The contract dispute complaint was filed February 1 in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia against accuser Andrea Constand, her mother, two of her lawyers and the publisher of the National Enquirer, online court records confirm.
Full details of Cosby’s lawsuit are not public but THR writes that American Media, Inc., the company that owns the National Enquirer and other tabloid publications, is probably connected to a violation of the settlement agreement Cosby reached with Constand and her legal team.
Prosecutors late a year ago charged Cosby, 78, with sexually assaulting Constand, a former basketball coach at his alma mater Temple University, just days before the statue of limitations to bring charges ran out. The judge warned Cosby’s lawyers to not accuse Troiani of breaking the agreement because she had received a subpoena to testify.
Troiani says she can’t comment on Cosby’s lawsuit.
Dozens of women have accused Cosby of plying them with drugs and alcohol in a series of alleged sexual assaults dating back to the 1960s.
Attorneys for Andrea Constand and Cosby gave CNN no comment. Cosby is now seeking the return of the money he paid Constand in that settlement. Cosby claims they were voluntarily interviewed by DA Kevin Steele, even though the terms of the settlement agreement apparently “prohibited such conduct”.
The suit also faults Constand’s mother and lawyers for cooperating.
Cosby is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on the felony case on March 8.
Cosby’s lawsuit names Constand’s mother and lawyers as defendants because they also cooperated with Montgomery County authorities a year ago.
The defence insists Cosby had a promise from a previous district attorney he would never be charged over the encounter.
Cosby has filed his complaint under the cloak of seal.
Cosby built his career on a family-friendly image, playing Dr Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992.
Cosby has denied the women’s accusations against him.
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The judge rejected his bid to have the criminal case dismissed.
