Jury Deliberations Begin In Bill Cosby Sex Assault Trial
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Jury deliberations began late Monday afternoon in Bill Cosby's sexual assault trial Monday, after the defense called a single brief witness and rested its case.
Deliberations will resume on Tuesday.
As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, Cosby, 79, himself did not take the stand in his own defense. He made his way to the courtroom Monday morning with his wife Camille by his side, marking her first appearance since the trial began.
"Why should he testify?" said Cosby publicist Andrew Wyatt. "He already did. He testified every day. His deposition was out there. He was truthful."
Last week, accuser Andrea Constand, a 44-year-old former employee of the basketball program at Temple University, testified that Cosby drugged and molested her in 2004 at his gated estate near Philadelphia.
Cosby's lawyers have argued that the sexual encounter with Constand was consensual and have cited phone records showing she called the TV star 53 times afterward, including one call that lasted 20 minutes.
Constand explained the numerous phone calls, saying she was merely returning Cosby's messages about the women's basketball squad at Temple University, where he was a powerful member of the board of trustees and she was director of team operations.
Cosby's defense case consisted of a six-minute appearance by a police detective, seemingly designed to remind jurors that Constand had visited with Cosby at a casino in Connecticut and that police knew he had vision problems even then.
Afterward, the defense argued to the jury that the detective's remarks were proof that Cosby and Constand had a consensual, secret romantic relationship.
Cosby is charged with aggravated indecent assault. The comedian once dubbed "America's Dad" could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
Jury deliberations began after the prosecution delivered its closing arguments.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
