Bill Cosby Issues Tweet, Lawyer Speaks Out After Sex Assault Charge
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Bill Cosby issued a one-sentence tweet while lawyer spoke out Thursday, for the first time since the 78-year-old comedian was officially charged with sexual assault after dozens of allegations and denials.
As CBS News' Kenneth Craig reported, Cosby remained free on bail Thursday after his arrest and arraignment a day earlier on a sexual assault charge.
Late Thursday night, he issued a single-sentence tweet thanking those who have supported him.
Cosby walked into a Pennsylvania court on Wednesday and stumbled along the way before facing a judge. The famous comedian had nothing to say when he was charged with aggravated indecent assault for an alleged sex crime more than a decade old.
"We're going to do everything we can as his legal team to make sure this has a successful end for him," said Cosby's attorney, Monique Pressley.
The alleged incident happened in 2004, when Cosby supposedly invited Andrea Constand to his $2 million home. She's a former athlete and administrator at Temple University, Cosby's alma mater.
According to a 23-page complaint, Cosby gave Constand "three blue pills" that he claimed were "herbal." Within a half hour, Constand experienced "blurred vision and difficulty speaking," the complaint said.
"Mr. Cosby urged her to take pills that he provided to her, and to drink wine – the effect of which rendered her unable to move," said Montgomery County, Pennsylvania District Attorney-elect Kevin Steele.
Court documents said Cosby then fondled Constand.
Cosby's attorney said her client and the alleged victim had a consensual relationship and she's confident he'll be cleared of any wrongdoing, CBS2's Ilana Gold reported.
"He's 78 years old and that he's being charged as a 78-year-old blind man 12 years after an alleged incident," Pressley said.
Pressley also questioned the motives of the District Attorney's office.
"I'm certain even this hungry DA trying to keep a campaign promise isn't going to assert that Mr. Cosby has had hiding in his medicine cabinet Quaaludes that are 30, 40 almost 50 years old, and that's what was offered to Andrea Constand on the evening in question many, many years ago."
Constand reported the incident in 2005, but the district attorney announced no criminal charges citing a lack of evidence. She also sued Cosby in civil court in Montgomery County and settled out of court.
But a decade later, investigators reopened the case after a judge unsealed depositions from a civil suit Constand filed where Cosby admitted to giving drugs to women.
But Pressley told "CBS This Morning" the unsealed court papers are no smoking gun.
"There's nothing in that deposition where Mr. Cosby admits to committing any crime," she said. "In fact, he denies it vehemently."
The new charge was filed right before the statute of limitations expired.
"Over a decade later, one hot campaign later, we're here," Pressley said.
It's the first time Cosby has faced charges despite years of similar accusations by women and many of his fans are alarmed.
"I never imagined my favorite comic would be involved in such things as this, it's terrible." said North Plainfield resident Linda Brienza.
But some said Cosby deserves his day in court to defend the allegations.
"I think if they came forward a little sooner it might have been more believable," another fan said.
Cosby is now free on $1 million bail and is due back in court on Jan. 14.
He faces five to 10 years in prison if convicted.
