Bill Cosby's Wife Accompanies Him to Rape Trial

June 12, 2017

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Summary: Camille Cosby stood by her man during his rape trial by accompanying him to court.

Today is day six of the Bill Cosby rape trial, and the day has been pivotal for the comedian because one) his wife Camille Cosby accompanied him to court for the first time and two) his defense team rested after only interviewing one witness.

According to Yahoo, today was the start of the defense side of the criminal case against Cosby, 79. He is being accused of raping former Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004, and although he has admitted to having sex with her, he has been adamant that the encounter was consensual.

The sexual assault trial is taking place in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Last week, the prosecution interviewed its witnesses, which included a former William Morris Assistant who said that Cosby had drugged and raped her in 1996.

The jury also heard the accuser Andrea Constand, 44, tell her side of the story through testimony and through her 2005 deposition. She described in detail what had allegedly happened to her in 2004 when she visited Cosby’s home alone. She said that he had given her a pill inside of a drink and that he had raped her after she had passed out.

The defense’s strategy had been to discredit Johnson and Constand. While Johnson had been visibly flustered during the trial, Constand had been a tougher witness to crack, according to Yahoo.

The defense had portrayed Johnson as a struggling actress who had used Cosby to further her career. However, when they had questioned Constand on why she had maintained contact with the comedian after the alleged assault, she said that she had to because he was a donor at the university where she had worked.

In mid-May, Cosby said during an interview with Sirius-XM radio host Michael Smerconish that he would not testify. During that interview, Cosby said he believed that race played a role in how he was treated by his accusers, which have totaled to almost 60 women.

Today in court, Cosby’s lawyers called repeat witness Richard Schaffer, a police detective, for further questioning. They did not call Cosby to testify, and after Schaffer’s examination, they rested their case, according to CNN.

Cosby’s lead attorney Brian McMonagle urged jurors to acquit Cosby during his closing statement. He said that Constand had changed her story after speaking with lawyers who specialized in rape cases.

“Hopefully, you will have the last two words in this case, and I pray those words are not guilty,” McMonagle said.

Prosecutors are expected to give their statements next, and the jury could deliberate as early as this afternoon, CNN said.