Judge Relents, Mistrial declared in Cosby sex assault case
Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill declared a mistrial in the Bill Cosby sexual assault case. Here Cosby arrives to the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., alongside his wife, Camille on June 13. (Pool photo)
By Stacy M. Brown
(NNPA Newswire Contributor)
NORRISTOWN, PA—Saturday morning, Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill finally bent to the will of the jury and declared a mistrial in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault case.
“The legacy remains intact,” said Andrew Wyatt, the long-time spokesman for the legendary entertainer. “For Gloria Allred and all those other lawyers, tell them to go back to law school and take another class.”
Wyatt continued: “The legacy hasn’t gone anywhere, it’s intact, [Bill Cosby] feels vindicated.”
Jurors deliberated for more than 53 hours, several times asking to have testimony re-read, before declaring a second time that they were hopelessly deadlocked.
The judge, who seven times previously denied mistrial re-quests made by the defense, finally gave in and declared the mistrial.
Cosby, 79, had maintained his innocence even rejecting a friendly plea deal offered by prosecutors just before the trial in early June.
“I’m innocent. I’m not going to plea to something I did not do,” Cosby said, during an inclusive interview with the NNPA Newswire. As he walked out of the courtroom on Saturday, still a free man, he again thanked the Black Press for being fair. “Thank you for everything. Thank you for your fairness. I’m going home.”
Cosby’s wife, Camille, released a statement blasting the judge and prosecutors.
“Heinously and exploitive ambitious. How do I describe the judge? Overtly and arrogantly collaborating with the District Attorney,” said Camille Cosby. “How do I describe the counsels for the accusers? Totally unethical.
Camille Cosby described mainstream media as, “blatantly vicious entities that continually disseminated intentional omissions of truths for the primary purpose of greedily selling sensationalism at the expense of a human life.”
Camille, like her husband, went on to thank their lawyers, their staff and Wyatt.
The judge has asked that prosecutors file a new case with-in 120 days; District Attorney Kevin Steele said he would.
Camille Cosby also said in the statement that she was grateful for the jurors, “who tenaciously fought to review the evidence; which is the rightful way to make a sound decision.”
The statement continued: “Ultimately, that is a manifestation of justice, based on facts, not lies. As a very special friend once stated, ‘truth can be subdued, but not destroyed.’”
Neither Cosby nor his team would address the district attorney’s statement that he would seek a retrial.
Brian McMonagle, Cosby’s lead defense attorney who proved his reputation as one of the best in the business, thanked the jury and judge in court.
After a brief statement that was read by Wyatt, Cosby and his team hopped into a waiting SUV and drove away from the Montgomery County Court-house, certainly hoping to never see it again.
“Mr. Cosby’s power is back,” said Wyatt. “He has been restored.”
