A look at events leading up to Cosby's upcoming sexual assault trial

Record ID: 900807

  • Title: A look at events leading up to Cosby's upcoming sexual assault trial
  • Date: 2nd June 2017
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - AUGUST 12, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ALLEGED COSBY ABUSE VICTIMS POSING FOR PHOTOS AND HOLDING PICTURES OF THEIR YOUNGER SELVES (SOUNDBITE) (English) LINDA RIDGEWAY WHITEDEER, WOMAN CLAIMING SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY BILL COSBY, SAYING: "I couldn't breathe. I was in shock. I thought of the boy possibly outside the door. When Cosby was done, there was a horrible mess of semen all over my face, my clothes, and in my hair. He took out a Kleenex to try and wipe off my face. I was bordering between vomiting and passing out. He was mumbling that I had been blessed with his semen as if it was holy water." (SOUNDBITE) (English) COLLEEN HUGHES, WOMAN CLAIMING SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY BILL COSBY, SAYING: "I was shocked. I didn't know how I had lost so much time. My boyfriend, who later became my fiance and husband, was supposed to pick me up at six o'clock. My clothes were thrown all over the room and I felt semen on the small of my back and all over me. It was disgusting. Bill obviously did not use a condom and there was no lunch and Bill was nowhere to be seen. I was confused and ashamed and never told anyone about what had happened to me." ALLEGED VICTIMS HUGGING EACH OTHER LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - FEBRUARY 26, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COMEDIAN BILL COSBY AT THE PLAYBOY MANSION COSBY BEING INTERVIEWED COSBY TALKING COSBY WITH PLAYBOY FOUNDER HUGH HEFNER WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FILE) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BILL COSBY AND WIFE CAMILLE COSBY COSBY WALKING DOWN RED CARPET
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2017 17:33
  • Keywords: Bill Cosby court trial sexual assault victim
  • Location: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA / PITTSBURGH AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA AND DENVER, COLORADO AND NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK CITY AND WASHINGTON, D.C. AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • City: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA / PITTSBURGH AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA AND DENVER, COLORADO AND NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK CITY AND WASHINGTON, D.C. AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Celebrities,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0086JL1RUV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Bill Cosby is set to stand trial in a sexual assault case, bringing to a head a years-long scandal where dozens of women came forward, accusing the actor and comedian of assault in instances that span decades. Once known as America's favorite TV dad, the 79-year-old Cosby will defend himself against one of those women, Andrea Constand, a former basketball coach at his Temple University alma mater. She alleges Cosby assaulted her in 2004 at his Philadelphia home, plying her with pills that left her unable to resist his advances.
    Cosby was arrested on December 30, 2015 after Constand agreed to press criminal charges following more than 50 women coming forward to claim abuse, but whose cases were all too old and had fallen out of the statute of limitations for any charges to be brought about.
    Constand had previously settled a civil case, in which Cosby paid her an undisclosed sum in exchange for her agreement not to cooperate with future law enforcement efforts. During sworn depositions taken for that case, Cosby acknowledged obtaining prescription sedatives in the 1970s to give to young women. However, the entertainer, whose career and wholesome image were shattered by the accusations, has said every sexual encounter he's had was consensual, including the one with Constand.
    Jury selection for the trial took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but the case will be held hundreds of miles away in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown, where he was originally arrested. Opening statements are scheduled for June 5; the trial is expected to last two weeks.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register