The Latest: Cosby jury wants to review lawsuit testimony

Jurors deliberated for four hours Monday night after hearing closing arguments on the sixth day of the trial.

Cosby is accused of drugging and violating a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in January 2004. He says what they did was consensual.

The woman had sued Cosby after prosecutors decided a decade ago not to bring charges. In that case he gave damaging testimony, but it did not become public until 2015. It was then that a new prosecutor decided to charge him.

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9:45 p.m.

Jurors in Bill Cosby’s Pennsylvania sexual assault trial are ending deliberations for the night.

The sequestered panel deliberated for about four hours late Monday before asking to go back to the hotel.

They’ll resume deliberations Tuesday morning.

Cosby is accused of drugging and violating a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in January 2004.

During deliberations, the jury asked to hear part of Cosby’s decade-old testimony in a civil case about the pills he gave the accuser before she said she was sexually assaulted. It was read to them by the judge.

The Pittsburgh-area jury has been away from home for more than a week and was in the courthouse for about 14 hours Monday through a brief defence case and closing arguments.

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7:55 p.m.

Jurors in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial are zeroing in on the night Cosby says he gave his accuser three blue pills that he described as “friends.”

The jury asked to hear the context of Cosby’s deposition testimony about the pills, and then resumed deliberations.

Jurors got the case late Monday afternoon. They’ve been deliberating for two hours, and have had dinner brought in.

Cosby is accused of drugging and molesting Andrea Constand after giving her the pills. She says they left her semi-conscious. Cosby says he only gave her Benadryl. He says Constand was stressed so he told her, “I have three friends for you to make you relax.”

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.

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7:15 p.m.

The jury in Bill Cosby’s suburban Philadelphia sexual assault trial has ordered dinner after 90 minutes of deliberations.

The judge says jurors can continue working as late as they wish.

The jury got the case late Monday afternoon, on the sixth day of the trial.

The 79-year-old Cosby is charged with drugging and violating former Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his home in 2004. Cosby says any contact was consensual.

A conviction could put Cosby in prison for the rest of his life.

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5:30 p.m.

Jurors in the Bill Cosby sexual assault trial have started deliberating whether he drugged and molested a woman more than a decade ago.

They got the case late Monday afternoon after each side delivered closing arguments.

The 79-year-old entertainer is charged with violating Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.

A conviction could put him in prison for the rest of his life.

Cosby says he gave Constand a cold and allergy medicine to help her relax. He says their sexual encounter was consensual.

Prosecutors suggest Cosby gave her something stronger. She testified the pills left her semi-conscious and unable to tell Cosby to stop.

Dozens of women have come forward to say he had drugged and assaulted them. This is the only case to result in criminal charges against the comic.

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4 p.m.

A Pennsylvania prosecutor says “fancy lawyering” can’t save Bill Cosby from his own admissions about fondling a woman after giving her pills he knew could put her to sleep.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in his closing argument Monday that the 79-year-old comedian’s decade-old statements corroborate Andrea Constand’s allegations that he drugged and violated her at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.

Cosby didn’t testify at the six-day sex assault trial. But jurors still heard plenty from him as prosecutors read them excerpts from his 2005 police statement and civil deposition.

Steele also reminded jurors about a telephone conversation in which Cosby apologized to Constand’s mother and described himself as a “sick man.”

Constand testified the pills left her unable to fight Cosby off. Cosby’s lawyers say the two were lovers and the encounter was consensual.

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2 p.m.

Bill Cosby’s chief accuser and his wife sat feet apart as lawyers delivered closing arguments in his trial on charges he sexually assaulted her at his suburban Philadelphia home in January 2004.

Andrea Constand watched from the front row of the packed courtroom gallery on Monday as Cosby’s lawyers spent nearly two hours seizing on inconsistencies in her story in a final push for acquittal. Camille Cosby also sat in the front row, with a few other people and the aisle between them.

Cosby lawyer Brian McMonagle told jurors Constand’s story evolved and details changed over three interviews she gave to police after coming forward about a year after she says he assaulted her.

Prosecutors are poised to give their closing argument Monday afternoon. Camille Cosby isn’t in the courtroom for that.

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12:45 p.m.

Bill Cosby’s defence lawyer says the comedian and the primary accuser at his sex assault trial were lovers who had a consensual sexual encounter.

Cosby is charged with sexually assaulting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in January 2004.

His lawyers said in closing arguments Monday that Cosby is being prosecuted now because of a media firestorm after excerpts from his lurid deposition became public. The defence says when the case began it was about money, but now it’s a about a man’s liberty.

Cosby’s primary accuser, Andrea Constand, received an unknown amount of money from a civil case she filed.

The defence offered its closing argument after presenting a single witness: a detective who reminded jurors that police wondered why Constand had visited with Cosby at a casino.

Prosecutors will give their closing argument Monday afternoon.

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This item has been updated to delete an incorrect reference to Constand visiting with Cosby after the encounter.

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10:30 a.m.

The defence has rested after a single brief witness in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial.

The defence case consisted of a six-minute appearance by a detective, seemingly designed to remind jurors that Andrea Constand had visited with Cosby at an out-of-state casino and that police knew he had vision problems even then.

Jurors soon will hear closing arguments and could perhaps start deliberating Monday afternoon.

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10:15 a.m.

Bill Cosby says he will not testify in his own defence at his sexual assault trial.

The 79-year-old comedian told a judge Monday that he made the decision after talking it over with his lawyers.

The defence says it’s calling just one witness: the detective who led the 2005 investigation into allegations Cosby drugged and violated Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home.

Detective Richard Schaffer was one of 12 witnesses who testified during the five-day prosecution case.

Cosby says his attorneys won’t call any character witnesses.

Judge Steven O’Neill shot down the defence’s bid to call a second witness, a woman who worked with Constand at Cosby’s alma mater, Temple University.

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8:45 a.m.

Bill Cosby’s wife, Camille, has arrived at court with him on the sixth day of his sexual assault trial.

It’s the first day a family member has accompanied him to court. The couple also has four daughters.

The defence opens it case Monday. Cosby had said before the trial he would not testify. But a spokesman said last week it still was a possibility.

Last week, accuser Andrea Constand testified that Cosby drugged and molested her in 2004 at his gated estate near Philadelphia.

Jurors also heard Cosby’s version in the form of his police statement and his lurid deposition in her 2005 lawsuit.

The trial will move to closing arguments if no defence witnesses are called.

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Midnight

Actor Bill Cosby could charm jurors at his sexual assault trial if he testifies this week, but experts say the risk would be considerable.

The defence is scheduled to begin presenting its case on Monday in suburban Philadelphia.

Cosby’s spokesman says the 79-year-old actor may testify, but his lawyers remain mum.

Last week, accuser Andrea Constand testified that Cosby drugged and molested her in 2004 at his gated estate near Philadelphia.

Jurors also heard Cosby’s version in the form of his police statement and his lurid deposition in her 2005 lawsuit.

The trial will move to closing arguments on Monday if no defence witnesses are called.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.

The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

The Latest: Cosby jury wants to review lawsuit testimony

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