Cosby victim calls for jail
AS lawyers argued about the “predatory status” of Bill Cosby, “America’s dad” faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison over sexual assault charges.
Cosby, 81, was found guilty in April of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for molesting Andrea Constand, a former operations manager for the Temple University women’s basketball team.
He had been facing a maxi- mum of 30 years in prison, but Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill announced in court that the prosecution and the defence had agreed that two of the three counts should be merged into one charge, leaving Cosby exposed to a maximum of 10 years in state prison.
Dozens of women have accused him of sexual assault, but Ms Constand’s allegation was the only one that became the subject of a criminal case. Cosby has denied assaulting her and claims their sexual encounter was consensual.
He is expected to appeal his conviction.
“The jury heard me. Mr Cosby heard me. And now, all I am asking for is justice as the court sees fit,” Ms Constand told the court yesterday. She had testified that the assault took place at Cosby’s home in Montgomery County, just out- side of Philadelphia, in early 2004.
She said Cosby gave her three pills she thought were a herbal relaxant and she took them because she trusted him.
Then, she said, she became incapacitated and felt his fingers inside her, but “couldn’t fight him off”.
Asking the judge to impose the maximum sentence, District Attorney Kevin Steele said state prison was the appropriate place for Cosby.
“What they’re asking for is a get-out-of-jail-free card,” Mr Steele said of the defence. “The bottom line, your honour, is that nobody’s above the law — nobody.”
Defence lawyer Joseph P. Green said Cosby had no prior record, and could become an extortion victim in prison. “Incarceration would impose on him excessive hardship,” Mr Green said.