Summary: The prosecution and defense teams got into a heated argument in a hearing today regarding the potential testimonies Bill Cosby’s accusers may give during trial.
The courtroom got a bit spicy today between Bill Cosby’s attorneys and Pennsylvania prosecutors. They claim the defense team is intentionally intimidating his female sexual assault accusers. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele argued that the defense attorneys were attempting to “manipulate” the upcoming trial by publicly naming 13 of his accusers that they plan to called for testimony.
Cosby has been accused by roughly 50 women of sexually assaulting them at various times decades ago. Now 79 years-old, Cosby faces criminal charges in Pennsylvania for allegedly sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, the former basketball coach at his alma mater.
At the hearing on Tuesday, a screen set up for a defense presentation was angled towards the audience of journalists and others. Steele explained, “They want to stick them up on a PowerPoint so everyone in here can see.” Defense attorney Brian McMonagle countered that 11 of the women had already made their identities public on their own accord. He also accused Steele of being the one that angled the screen.
Judge Steven O’Neill had to intervene to get their shouting under control. He informed them both that a court official put the screen up. “You don’t want to get involved with the sheriffs here, if you two can’t control yourselves,” O’Neill said.
Generally past “bad acts” are not allowed to be introduced as evidence but Pennsylvania law allows them if they show a clear pattern of behavior. Should prosecutors convince the judge to allow the alleged victims, Cosby will have a tough time recovering from the pattern their allegations set.
Steele said, “The defendant has engaged over the course of decades in a signature pattern of nonconsensual sexual assaults on young women.” Cosby’s sworn testimony from 2005 where he admits to giving women Quaaludes before engaging in consensual sexual acts has already been given permission to be used in the trial. He is accused of giving Constad drugs and wine before sexually assaulting her in his home.
Do you think Cosby’s past “bad acts” should be allowed as evidence during the trial? Tell us in the comments below.
To learn more about the Cosby case, read these articles:
- Bill Cosby Attempts One More Time to Have Charges Dropped
- Bill Cosby Tries Again to Get Criminal Charges Dismissed
- Bill Cosby Criminal Trial Scheduled for 2017
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