Cosby Verdict Upheld

Bill Cosby lost his bid to overturn his sexual assault conviction Tuesday, as an appeals court upheld the verdict in the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era.

In its ruling, the Superior Court affirmed the right of prosecutors to call other accusers to bolster their case – the same issue fought over in movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault trial, now set for January 6.

“This decision is a reminder that no one is above the law,” Andrea Constand, the victim in Cosby’s case, said in a text message to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Cosby’s lawyers had complained that the judge had let five women testify at last year’s retrial in suburban Philadelphia, although he had let just one woman testify at the first trial in 2017.

But the Superior Court said their testimony was evidence of Cosby’s “unique sexual assault playbook” and undermined any claim that he “was unaware of or mistaken about victim’s failure to consent”.

The prosecutor who took the case to trial praised Constand for inspiring other victims to come forward against powerful men. She went to police long before the #MeToo movement saw prominent men in entertainment, business, media and other fields brought down over their treatment of women.

“She came to law enforcement almost 15 years ago seeking justice for what was done to her,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said Tuesday. “The world is forever changed because of Andrea’s bravery.”

Lawyers for Cosby had argued eight issues on appeal. They challenged the judge’s decision to air Cosby’s damaging deposition testimony from a related lawsuit; said he had a binding promise from a former prosecutor that he would never be charged; and said a juror had prejudged Cosby’s guilt.

The appeals court rejected those arguments and also upheld his classification as a sexually violent predator subject to lifetime supervision.

Cosby, 82, can now ask the state Supreme Court to consider his appeal. He recently said he is prepared to serve the full 10-year sentence rather than express remorse to the parole board.

The long-married Cosby, once beloved as ‘America’s Dad’ for his TV role as Dr Cliff Huxtable on the hugely popular sitcom The Cosby Show, has acknowledged having sexual contact with a string of younger women. Many of them went to him for career advice and then took alcohol or pills he offered.