NORRISTOWN - A Pennsylvania jury of
seven men and five women will resume deliberations for a second
day on Thursday to decide whether to convict comedian and actor
Bill Cosby of sexual assault.
Prosecutors have portrayed the entertainer as a serial
predator who hid behind his kindly television persona, while
defense lawyers say he has been the victim of women fabricating
stories about him in pursuit of wealth and fame.
Cosby, 80, the once-beloved black comedian and TV dad who
won over white America on "The Cosby Show" in the 1980s, is on
trial on three counts of aggravated indecent assault of Andrea
Constand, 45, at his home outside Philadelphia in January 2004.
Cosby has denied the charges, saying any sexual contact was
consensual.
The jury, sequestered since the trial began on April 9, was
due to begin day two of deliberations at 9 a.m. on Thursday,
after a six-hour session on Wednesday, when jurors asked to
rehear parts of the case. A previous jury failed to reach a
verdict last June, leading to a second trial.
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After receiving instructions from Judge Steven O'Neill on
Wednesday morning, the jury raised questions three times.
Two hours into deliberations, the jury asked for the legal
definition of "consent" in a sexual assault case.
O'Neill said the question could not be answered.
Another question concerned a jury request to see two
documents prepared by Jackson outlining her accusations against
Constand, which O'Neill denied, and the content of several
stipulations about evidence, which he granted.
A third question asked for the rereading of the Cosby
deposition and Jackson's testimony.
Jackson, who was barred from testifying in the first trial,
told the court Constand once told her "it would be easy" to
fabricate an accusation of sexual assault against a celebrity to
make money.
Cosby has remained free on bail. If convicted, he faces up
to 10 years in prison for each of the three counts, although
sentencing guidelines call for the terms to be served
concurrently.
The first trial ended in mistrial last June, just before a
flood of sexual assault and harassment accusations against rich
and powerful men gave rise to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements.