The odds were ever in his favor this week as Bill Cosby escapes criminal charges in LA County. Prosecutors were considering two cases and, after careful review, decided not to pursue charges in either. However, the comedian is still facing criminal charges for aggravated sexual assault in Pennsylvania in a case involving a woman who claims Cosby gave her wine and pills.
The odds were ever in his favor this week as Bill Cosby escapes criminal charges in LA County. Prosecutors were considering two cases and, after careful review, decided not to pursue charges in either. However, the comedian is still facing criminal charges for aggravated sexual assault in Pennsylvania in a case involving a woman who claims Cosby gave her wine and pills. The charges state that the chemical combo left her unable to give her consent for sex and incapable of fighting off Cosby.
One of the two cases LA County prosecutors declined to pursue involves a claim that Cosby raped the woman when she was 17 years old, in 1965. Prosecutors advised that the statute of limitations has run on that incident, which means they are barred from ever bringing charges.
Prosecutors declined to pursue the second case due to a lack of sufficient evidence. This incident allegedly occurred at the Playboy Mansion in 2008 when the victim was 18 years old. The allegations are the same: Cosby drugged her and then sexually assaulted her. She originally said the assault took place at a “Midsummer Night’s Dream Party” on August 9, 2008. She later told investigators that she could only be certain that it happened during the summer of 2008.
As investigators followed up, the evidence just didn’t add up. They checked security footage of the Playboy Mansion grounds taken during the August 9 party and neither Bill Cosby nor the alleged victim was shown. Further, guest lists kept by party organizers didn’t contain Cosby’s name for any party thrown that summer. However, he was on a guest list for one in February of that year.
The woman also said she took a friend with her to the party in question. Investigators found someone who matched the woman’s description of her friend, but that individual stated that she did not know the alleged victim. Based on contradictory and insufficient evidence, the prosecutors declined to press charges.
The victim in the Pennsylvania case brought a civil claim that Cosby settled in the early 2000s, so the evidence was never judged on its merits. However, that evidence will be presented in the criminal case. It remains to be seen if the evidence will meet the necessary standard of guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. If convicted, Cosby could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
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