After years of sexual assault accusations, Bill Cosby will soon be headed to prison.
In a dramatic scene, a Montgomery County jury of seven men and five women returned guilty verdicts today on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for Cosby’s January 2004 sexual assault of Andrea Constand.
Constand, a former Temple University employee, lost consciousness after Cosby gave her three blue pills and a sip of wine. She came to with Cosby digitally penetrating and groping her and forcing her hand on his penis.
The jurors spent nearly 15 hours over two days deciding the verdict after being charged Monday morning.
Victims of Cosby sitting in the Norristown, PA, courtroom shrieked and cried in delight after the first verdict was announced. The comic sat forward on the edge of his chair, showing little emotion. But when Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele began addressing bail, Cosby became animated.
Judge Steven O’Neill said Cosby could remain free on bail until sentencing. Steele pleaded for him to be jailed immediately, saying he was a flight risk and owned a plane. Cosby, who had been silent throughout the trial, shouted back.
“He doesn’t have a plane, you asshole,” said Cosby, referring to himself in the third person, his voice shaking. “He doesn’t know.”
O’Neill didn’t announce a date for sentencing, but state law requires it within 100 days of a conviction. Cosby, 80, could face up to 30 years in prison — 10 years for each count — a stiff fall from grace for the pioneering actor who’s amassed tens of millions of dollars over his career and became known as “America’s Dad” renowned for his wholesomeness and wisdom after starring in the landmark The Cosby Show.
