On Thursday in a Pennsylvania court, a jury found Bill Cosby guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman. After two days of deliberation, the jury convicted Cosby of three counts of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand.
At the time of the assault over 14 years ago, Cosby was mentoring Constand – a then Temple university employee.
The three counts are penetration with lack of consent, penetration while unconscious, and penetration after administering an intoxicant – all of which are felonies punishable with up to ten years in state prison.
The district attorney claimed that Cosby was a flight risk and asked for his $1 million to be revoked. This provoked an angry outburst from the actor; “He doesn’t have a plane, you asshole.”
After the verdict was announced several woman who have also accused Cosby of assault cheered. Ms. Constand remained silent throughout the verdict until the end when she stood up and received hugs from her lawyer and friends.
Cosby refused to comment leaving the court. His lawyers however confirmed they would seek an appeal “We are very disappointed by the verdict,” said lead lawyer Thomas A. Mesereau Jr ,“We don’t believe Mr. Cosby is guilty of anything.”
This is the second time Cosby has been left in the hands of a jury however his first trial last summer ended in a deadlock after six days of deliberations. The 80 year old actor/comedian has admitted his decades of philandering, and to giving quaaludes to women as part of an effort to have sex. However he has never testified in his defence.
During the trial, Cosby’s lawyers tried to tear down the defense and their supporting witnesses – five other women who have accounts of being assaulted by Cosby in a similar fashion. “Questioning an accuser is not shaming a victim,” said one of his lawyers.
The prosecutor said that these attacks on the women were similar to the criticism that kept many victims of sexual assault from coming forward.
What happens now?
This conviction is a likely nail in the coffin of the comedians lengthy career. Since allegations first began pouring in against the comedian, reruns of the popular Cosby Show and his many stand up specials have been cut from most programming. With this conviction it is likely they will remain so.
This is also an important verdict for many of the women who have accused the actor of assault in the past. Many of these accounts – of which there are over 50, are incredibly similar to Ms. Constands. This verdict shows these women have been heard, as this is the first and only criminal accusation to result in prosecution.
Some of these women were at the court for the verdict, and reportedly met the verdict with cheers, tears, and laughter.
The judge has not yet announced a date for sentencing. Cosby still has several civil lawsuits against him, however this is the only criminal trial against him.
