Bill Cosby Trial, Day 7 — When Will We Get a Verdict?
Jury deliberations at the Bill Cosby sexual assault trial entered day two on Tuesday, with no clear sign of when we can expect a verdict. Cosby has been charged with three counts of felony indecent assault against Andrea Constand, who claims he drugged and assaulted her in 2004. If convicted he faces up to 10 years on each count.
The jury submitted two questions to Judge Steven O'Neill, though, perhaps a clue as to what they are discussing behind closed doors.
Judge O'Neill was asked to read additional segments from a 2005 deposition Cosby gave to police regarding the incident with Constand. On day four of the trial, prosecutors read numerous sections of that deposition into evidence; the new parts that the jury requested covered how Cosby and Constand originally met and what other times they had meetings, and also how any previous sexual contact between them had begun.
The second question they asked was regarding exactly what occurred when Cosby gave Constand several pills on the night in question. Cosby has claimed they were merely Benadryl, while Constand testified that they must have been significantly stronger, as after she consumed them she said she felt "frozen" and incapacitated as he initiated sexual contact as she laid on his couch, unable to resist.
What exactly these two questions mean as far as which way the jury is leaning remains unclear. Cosby's spokesman told reporters outside the courthouse that the longtime comedian is feeling "in good spirits" and looking forward to being absolved of all charges.
Prior to the start of the deliberations, the trial had moved along at a rapid pace, with questioning and statements finishing in just six days. The defense took a mere six minutes before resting its case on Monday (June 12), while prosecutors called 12 witnesses over the course of five days.
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