L.A. district attorney won't charge Bill Cosby
LOS ANGELES -- Bill Cosby won't face criminal charges in Los Angeles County for alleged sexual assault, the district attorney's office announced Wednesday.
CBS Los Angeles reported investigators probed claims by two women, identified only as Jane Doe #1 and #2, that they were assaulted by the comedian in 1965 and 2008.
Cosby was charged last week in Pennsylvania with drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 2004 inside his home near Philadelphia, the first criminal case brought against him out of the torrent of allegations that destroyed his good-guy image as America's Dad. His lawyers called the charges unjustified and said they expected Cosby to be exonerated.
In Los Angeles, the first woman claimed that when she was 17, Cosby took her to a jazz club in Hollywood and gave her alcohol. He then allegedly took her to a home in the Hollywood Hills and forced her to have sex.
"Filing the crime of forcible rape is barred by the statute of limitations, and as such, any consideration of a criminal filing is prohibited by law," the D.A. said in a document released Wednesday.
Detectives investigated the second accusation, which allegedly happened at the Playboy Mansion at an event called "Midsummer Night's Dream Party," but the crime was ultimately deemed to also be outside the statute of limitations. Investigators also had trouble confirming the alleged victim's story with a possible witness.
"Additional potential felony sex offenses not barred by the statute of limitations were also evaluated," investigators said. "Sexual battery by restraint, a felony, was contemplated but there is insufficient evidence to prove the elements of this crime. Sexual assaults by intoxication or of an unconscious victim and the attempts to commit such crimes, as well as assault with intent to commit a sex offense were also considered. However, there is no evidence to support the filing of these crimes. Consequently, after evaluating all potential charges, there is insufficient evidence to prove these crimes beyond a reasonable doubt."
