Bill Cosby faces multiple fresh allegations of sexual assault, but it’s unlikely the comedian will face jail
MULTIPLE women with consistent and similar stories have accused Bill Cosby of sexually assaulting them. Authorities describe them as credible. So why isn’t he facing charges?
COMEDIAN Bill Cosby is unlikely to face criminal charges despite multiple women with consistent and similar stories coming forward to accuse him of sexual assault.
The accounts from more than a dozen alleged victims span several decades and paint a picture of a predator who targeted vulnerable women or aspiring entertainers. Many of the claims include the use of stupefying drugs.
Now a former district attorney who probed one of the women’s complaints a decade ago says he regrets not pushing forward with criminal charges against The Cosby Show star, now 77.
Unlike other recent examples of historic complaints being prosecuted, including against Australian actor and Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes, it’s unlikely Cosby will ever face jail.
In the United States, there’s a time limit on bringing legal proceedings before courts in what’s referred to as a statute of limitations.
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The shelf life varies from state to state, and often between offences, but the allegations against Cosby took place a decade or longer ago. Too much time has likely passed to file charges now.
Another issue for prosecutors would be the lack of physical evidence, as experienced by former Pennsylvania DA Bruce Castor in 2005.
A woman named Andrea Constand alleges she was at Cosby’s home a year earlier when he gave her pills, which he described as herbal medication, that caused her to pass out. She later woke to discover she had been raped.
Castor cited a lack of evidence with not pursuing charges, but told CNN this week that he regrets the decision, firmly believing the comedian was lying.
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“I thought he was lying,” the retired lawman told the news network. “I thought he was evasive, and I thought that those things would be of value if I had another piece (of evidence) to go forward with.”
While Cosby wasn’t charged, his accuser filed a lawsuit and found 13 other women with similar allegations to join her. He settled out of court a year later for an undisclosed sum.
For the many years that followed, not much else was said about the allegations and Cosby eventually resumed his busy work schedule of touring and television appearances.
It wasn’t until October this year when comedian Hannibal Buress lambasted Cosby in a stand-up routine, and a video of the performance went viral.
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Inspired by his words, Barbara Bowman penned an opinion piece about her experiences and denying the fact that it took so long for people to take notice.
Bowman was one of the 13 women who participated in the settled lawsuit, but has described the outcome as disappointing.
Since the latest storm engulfed Cosby, new accusers have come forward with similar stories of being drugged and assaulted, including famed supermodel Janice Dickinson.
And today, actress and former Playboy bunny Carla Ferrigno — wife of The Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno — added to the list of alleged victims.
She was with a friend at Cosby’s home in 1967 when she claims he attacked her. Ferrigno believes her friend, one of Cosby’s associates, set her up by leading her to the comedian’s home.
“To be set up like this really made me angry,” she told MailOnline. “It was just awful. I was listening to what he did to those other women and I feel blessed.”
Cosby’s new television project on NBC has been dumped, a planned special on Netflix has been shelved, a network in the US has stopped airing re-runs of his popular 1980s sitcom and his representatives have gone into frenzied damage control.
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But the consequences may only extend to his professional life. Legal analysis by Vox paints a picture of a legal minefield.
“The statutes of limitations for criminal cases are usually longer, so it’s possible that some of the alleged assaults would still be within the chargeable period,” lawyer Amanda Taub wrote.
“For instance, in Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations to bring criminal charges for rape is 12 years. In New York, there is no statute of limitations for first-degree rape or some types of sexual assault.
“But it is still very unlikely that any criminal charges would be brought against Cosby. Sexual assault cases are always difficult for prosecutors to win, but in these cases, the lack of physical evidence and the passage of time would probably make them impossible.”
Through his lawyers, Cosby denies all of the allegations. When pressed by reporters twice in recent days, the man himself has refused to comment.
Originally published as Bill Cosby faces multiple fresh allegations of sexual assault, but it’s unlikely the comedian will face jail