Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill will allow five of Bill Cosby’s additional accusers to testify at Cosby’s upcoming sexual assault retrial, which is expected to start April 2, the Inquirer reported.
Earlier this month, the prosecution filed a motion to present 19 of Cosby’s accusers as prior bad acts, which the prosecution will use to establish a pattern of Cosby’s alleged behavior. O’Neill is allowing the prosecution to choose who will testify.
O’Neill only allowed one accuser other than the central accuser, Andrea Constand, to testify at Cosby’s first trial, which was ruled a mistrial in June 2017.
Cosby, a former Temple Board of Trustees member, is facing three counts of aggravated indecent assault for allegedly drugging and assaulting Constand, a former Temple employee, at his Montgomery County home in 2005.
At a pretrial hearing on March 6, Cosby’s defense team argued to block the women from testifying.
His defense attorney Becky James questioned the credibility of the 19 women and warned O’Neill that the defense may need more time to prepare its case if all 19 women were allowed to testify in April.
Juror selection for Cosby’s retrial is expected to start March 29.
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