Defense says schedules show Cosby wasn’t around for assault
NORRISTOWN, Pa.—Jurors got a look Friday at Bill Cosby’s travel records as his lawyers made the case that he never visited his suburban Philadelphia mansion in the month he is accused of drugging and molesting a woman there.
Cosby’s lawyers say the alleged assault on Andrea Constand could not have happened in January 2004, when she says the comedian knocked her out with pills and violated her. The date is important because Cosby was not charged until December 2015, just before the 12-year statute of limitations was set to expire.
The defense produced logs for Cosby’s private jet flights as well as several days’ worth of schedules listing his whereabouts and media appearances. The schedules do not indicate what Cosby was doing during his personal time.
Debbie Meister, his personal assistant, testified that the flights on Cosby’s Gulfstream IV—dubbed “Camille” after his wife of more than 50 years— coincided with comedy performances and other events on Cosby’s schedule.
None of the records showed him flying into or out of Philadelphia-area airports from December 2003 to February 2004.
Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt said outside court that the records “connect the dots” that the comedian wasn’t around Philadelphia at that time.
Cosby, 80, is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He says his sexual encounter with Constand was consensual.
Sequestered jurors got an early start to the weekend as Day 10 of the trial drew to a close shortly after lunch. Testimony will resume Monday. The jury is expected to get the case next week.
Earlier Friday, Cosby’s lawyers told the judge they want jurors to hear from Constand’s confidante before deliberations get underway, but said she’s been unreachable.
The defense asked for permission to read parts of Sheri Williams’ deposition into the record just as prosecutors did with Cosby’s old testimony. Williams gave the deposition as part of Constand’s 2005 lawsuit against Cosby, who wound up settling for nearly $3.4 million.
Constand testified at Cosby’s first trial last year that she and Williams were good friends and would speak “at all hours of the day: morning, noon, and night.” She said they were in touch as she went to police in January 2005 with allegations Cosby drugged and molested her about a year earlier.
The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.