Statute Of Limitations On Rape Charges Extended
DENVER (CBS4)- Colorado has a longer statute of limitations to file rape charges. Two women who claimed they were raped by Bill Cosby in the 1980s pushed for the change.
Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the bill into law on Friday morning which doubles the amount of time sexual assault victims can seek charges from 10 to 20 years.
Democratic Rep. Rhonda Fields crafted the bill after being approached by two Colorado women who claim Cosby assaulted them decades ago.
Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred attended the bill signing along with one of her clients from Colorado, Beth Ferrier. Allred has said such laws empower traumatized victims by giving them more time to come forward.
"For me this is, from this day forward, making sure that those one in four women come forward, those one in 17 men come forward and do not keep this a secret and don't stay silent," said Ferrier.
The bill signing attracted such a crowd that the media was not allowed inside.
Cosby has denied abuse allegations made by women around the country. But he faces trial in Pennsylvania, where the comedian is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.
