Bill Cosby Charged With Sexual Assault

For years, women - dozens of them - have accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault, with incidents dating back to the 1960s. Now, for the first time, Cosby is facing criminal charges in connection with an accusation of sexual assault, Montgomery County prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced on Wednesday.

Prosecutors charged Cosby with aggravated indecent assault, First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a morning press conference. Reporters then descended on the small courthouse in Elkins Park where Cosby arrived on Wednesday afternoon for his arraignment.

Cosby's bail was set at US$1 million, and he was required to post 10 percent of that amount. According to court documents obtained by multiple reporters inside the courtroom, Cosby has already posted the required US$100,000.

After the arraignment, Cosby traveled to the Cheltenham police department for booking. As he arrived, a small crowd yelled that the comedian is a "monster."

A preliminary hearing was set for January 14.

The charge, a second-degree felony, stems from an alleged sexual assault in early 2004. Steele initially said the charge against Cosby was a first-degree felony, but the District Attorney's office later corrected that statement.

"Today, after examination of all the evidence, we are able to seek justice on behalf of the victim," Steele said. Prosecutors launched a new investigation into the allegations against Cosby after new information about the case emerged in July, he said. The 12-year statute of limitations to file felony charges in connection to those allegations expires in January.

According to the criminal complaint, Cosby faces three counts of the indecent assault charge: assault without consent, assault when the complainant is unconscious or unaware that penetration is occurring, and assault when the person impairs the complainant.

Cosby has denied all wrongdoing - and, until Wednesday, had never been charged with a crime; he and his representatives have steadfastly denied the assault claims by a succession of women. He said in his 2005 deposition that he gave Constand only three half-pills of Benadryl, an over-the-counter allergy medication.

According to the DA's office, Cosby faces a maximum penalty of 5-10 years, and a US$25,000 fine.

- Washington Post