In the Media
December 5, 2016
Judge rules damaging Cosby testimony can be used against him at trial
By Andrea Mandell and Maria Puente
USA Today
Excerpts:
A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that damaging testimony Bill Cosby gave in an accuser's lawsuit can be used at his criminal sex assault trial.
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The judge's ruling provides another big win for the prosecution, which has repeatedly won on several pre-trial issues raised by Cosby. In this issue, prosecutors seek to use Cosby's own words in the damaging deposition he gave for Constand's civil lawsuit.
"It’s a pretty damaging blow for the defense and a pretty big win for the prosecution, because the deposition was given under oath so it has lot of weight to it," says Larry Cunningham, vice dean & professor at St. John's University School of Law. "It’s going to be very, very damaging for him at his criminal trial."
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Cunningham says the judge's decision gets the prosecution "much" closer to a conviction. "Now the defense really has to come up with an argument or explanation to the jury explaining some of (Cosby's) admissions in the deposition itself," he says.
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