Prosecutors want accusers to testify at Cosby sentencing
Prosecutors in the Bill Cosby sexual assault case asked a Pennsylvania judge to admit live testimony in the sentencing phase from women who say he molested them but whose accusations did not lead to criminal charges.
The Montgomery County district attorney, Kevin Steele, filed a motion in the Court of Common Pleas requesting the admission as evidence of “uncharged criminal acts committed by the defendant” and saying he intends to present “numerous witnesses” at the sentencing hearing, which is set for Sept. 24-25.
Cosby was found guilty in April of three charges of aggravated indecent assault based on the accusations of one woman, Andrea Constand, who said he had drugged and sexually abused her at his home near Philadelphia in 2004.
Cosby, 81, faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the three convictions. Judge Steven O’Neill, who presided over the trial, will determine his sentence.
During the trial, in response to a request by the prosecution, O’Neill allowed five other accusers to testify under Pennsylvania’s “prior bad acts” law, which admits such evidence if it shows a pattern of behavior by the defendant. Dozens of women have accused Cosby of having assaulted them over a span of decades.
In his motion Tuesday, Steele said the other accusers at the sentencing would “provide testimony relevant to the proper assessment of the defendant’s character, background, dangerousness to the community, and rehabilitative needs.” Steele cited prior cases to support his argument that the information relevant at sentencing can include “uncharged criminal conduct” even if it involved a different victim and did not result in a conviction. In other developments:
• A former member of Cosby’s defense team is suing the 81-yearold comedian for more than $50,000 in unpaid legal fees. The civil claim was filed Tuesday by Philadelphia-based law firm Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis. Firm attorney Samuel Silver, who had worked through February as part of Cosby’s defense team, declined to comment Wednesday.
• Cosby’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was vandalized by someone who scrawled the words “serial rapist” with a marker pen. Los Angeles police found the marred sidewalk star early Tuesday. The graffiti was similar to vandalism that occurred in 2014 and has since been removed.