UPDATE AT 1:53 p.m. on April 27
Temple’s Feminist Alliance released a statement about Bill Cosby’s conviction on Thursday.
“In light of Bill Cosby being found guilty of all charges, Temple’s Feminist Alliance would like to express our support for the decision as well as our continued support for every woman who has spoken out against him,” the statement from Public Relations Chair-elect Morgan Slutzky reads. “We stand in solidarity with all survivors of sexual assault, and will continue to work for accessible and comprehensive sexual assault resources for Temple students.”
The organization has been critical about Temple’s relationship with Cosby and organized a campaign called O’Connor Step Down to protest Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick O’Connor’s relationship with Cosby. He represented the former university trustee in the 2005 civil suit.
UPDATE at 2:57 p.m.
The university released a statement about the guilty verdict in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault retrial.
“Temple University respects today’s decision reached by the jury in the Bill Cosby case,” the statement from Brandon Lausch, a university spokesperson, reads. “Today’s decision provides additional facts for the university to consider with the respect to Bill Cosby’s honorary degree.”
Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick O’Connor will recuse himself from “discussions or decisions” about Cosby’s degree. O’Connor represented Cosby in the 2005 civil suit between him and Andrea Constand.
NORRISTOWN, Pa. — Bill Cosby was found guilty on all three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Thursday.
Each count holds a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Jurors deliberated for more than 14 hours on Wednesday and Thursday. They reheard testimony from Bill Cosby’s 2005 deposition, in which he admitted to giving former university employee Andrea Constand Benadryl and having sexual contact with her on the night she alleged he sexually assaulted her.
On Thursday morning, they reheard the testimony of Marguerite Jackson, an academic adviser Boyer College of Music and Dance, from last week. She alleged Constand told her she could falsely accuse a wealthy man of sexual assault for money.
Cosby was accused of sexually assaulting and drugging former Constand in his Montgomery County home in 2004. He was charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault in 2015.
The university declined to comment on the verdict.
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