Cosby's Atty: Criminal Charge Is 'Unjustified', Will Be Exonerated
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP/WJZ) - Bill Cosby was charged Wednesday with drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his home in 2004, just months after one Maryland college decided to revoke his honorary degree.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren has the latest.
Protestors greeted Bill Cosby outside The Lyric during his last visit to Baltimore earlier this year--where inside, a heckler took him on over persistent rape allegations in video the City Paper received from an anonymous source.
Rachel Perry-Crook lead the demonstrations and says she's encouraged by the new charges against Cosby.
"We're glad that he's actually going to be facing legal repercussions for his actions," she said.
Over the years, Cosby has made many Baltimore appearances, where he frequently spoke about values.
Johns Hopkins is one of several Maryland schools to give Bill Cosby an honorary degree.
In a past statement, Hopkins said they were deeply troubled by the allegations and they were considering whether to rescind that degree. Johns Hopkins had no further comment today.
Former Cosby show actress Lili Bernard's daughter attends Hopkins.
Bernard met with a student group here this year--in a push to revoke Cosby's degree and shared her own claims that the comedian once attacked her.
"It took me 23 years to shed the fear that resulted from Bill Cosby drugging me, threatening me, and raping me," said Bernard in a previous interview.
Some still think of Cosby as America's dad and believe in his innocence.
In Baltimore, where he's gotten a hero's welcome in the past, many will be closely watching as the justice system moves forward.
The University of Baltimore, the University of Maryland and Goucher College have all given Cosby honorary doctorates, only Goucher College has rescinded the degree.
The 78-year-old comedian walked slowly and unsteadily into court on the arms of his lawyers to answer charges he drugged and sexually assaulted a woman less than half his age at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. He had no comment as he was released on $1 million bail.
WATCH: Cosby Leaves Courthouse
Prosecutors accused Cosby of plying former Temple University employee Andrea Constand with pills and wine, then penetrating her with his fingers without her consent while she was drifting in and out of consciousness, unable to resist or cry out.
She was "frozen, paralyzed, unable to move," Montgomery County District Attorney-elect Kevin Steele said. In court papers, prosecutors said the drugs were the cold medicine Benadryl or some other, unidentified substance. Steele noted that Cosby has admitted giving quaaludes to women he wanted to have sex with.
Cosby acknowledged under oath a decade ago that he had sexual contact with Constand but said it was consensual.
"Make no mistake: We intend to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge, and we expect that Mr. Cosby will be exonerated by a court of law," said Cosby's attorney Monique Pressley.
