Bill Cosby is visually impaired and unable to defend himself against sexual assault allegations, according to attorneys for the 79-year-old comedian. Cosby was declared “legally blind” in a footnote to a motion filed by his lawyers Thursday (Oct. 27), reports CNN.
Cosby’s lawyers are attempting to have the case dismissed, and argue that “no 79-year-old blind man could possibly defend himself against a claim that he sexually assaulted someone he supposedly met once, half a century ago.”
In the state of Massachusetts, where Cosby lives, legal blindness is defined as “vision with correction of 20/200 or less in the better eye.”
Cosby’s vision impairment would prevent him from identifying accusers. “Without his eyesight, Mr. Cosby cannot even determine whether he has ever even seen some of his accusers,” the lawyers claim. “Let alone develop defenses and gather exculpatory evidence.”
The defense team also attests that prosecutors are using the case as a “platform” for other accusers to step forward and “air even staler, long-ago time-barred claims that were never reported to authorities.”
A hearing in the case is schedule for next Tuesday (Nov. 1).
Cosby faces triple felony sexual assault charges in an alleged incident involving Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee. Constand claims that the former sitcom star drugged and molested her in 2004.
His trial date is tentatively scheduled for June 5.