Bill Cosby will have to take the stand in his sexual assault case involving a former mentee after relying on previous evidence from 2005.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the decision by District Judge Elizabeth McHugh came into effect during the preliminary hearing on Tuesday (May 24.) Sufficient evidence was presented against the 78-year-old comedian including a testimony from Andrea Constand, the woman who claimed Cosby sexually assaulted while she visited his Philadelphia home in 2004. The written testimony claimed Cosby gave Constand, a former employee at Temple University, herbal medication that caused her to lose conciseness and made her legs feel “like jelly.”
Cosby claimed his actions were consensual and that Constand didn’t tell him to stop the evening the incident took place. While the judge acknowledged Cosby would have to take the stand, Constand will not have to. His arraignment will take place on July 20 where he would be able to enter a plea. Following the plea, a date for the trial would be set. If convicted of the felony indecent assault charges, Cosby can face up to 1o years in prison.
Constand’s previous 2005 lawsuit against Cosby has been the flagship of reference in the new case. She settled with Cosby for an undisclosed amount in 2006 after Cosby admitted to giving women quaaludes and paying those involved in his extramarital affairs. His team has tried several times to dismiss the case on the notion that a prosecutor verbally promised he wouldn’t be charged.
The former Cosby Show star has been accused of sexual assault from over 50 women dating back to the 1970s and is a part of several civil defamation lawsuits by his accusers for branding them as liars.