Bill Cosby (Update: PA Supreme Court overturns conviction) (1 Viewer)

[Saintshizzle]

I did not follow the trial to know what type of evidence the judge allowed the state to introduce, but putting on character evidence is dangerous for a defendant because that could open the door for the state to put on rebuttal character evidence that would otherwise be excluded.

Yeah, and it was on them to prove the case. If the defense did not feel like they reached the necessary burden of proof, then it would be foolish to put more than what's needed on the stand.

I guess, for me (Not saying anyone else has to feel this way), if I was a woman and a man, any man saving for my dad, gave me pills to take...why the **** would take them? In fact, I know one of our women in here said the same thing either in this thread or another last year. You go into a mans place, drinking and then take pills that he gives you?

Someone make me understand that, bc it still seems consensual to me.

 

[st dude]

I have some random observations.

Rapes are the hardest cases to prove. When I was with the DAs office, before dna evidence, we won over 90% of our cases overall, but about 50% of the rape cases. Consensual rape cases were the hardest. I tried a half dozen rape cases and won them all, but only one where consent was a defense and I would have lost that trial had the idiot defendant not taken the stand.

The Cosby case was not tried because of an overzealous prosecutor or because Cosby was some black hero white prosecutors wanted to take down (this is in response to Cosby's representatives saying the DA case was racially motivated and that the DA and judge were biased).

The Cosby case went to trial because 45 different women, of differing age, background and race, have claimed Cosby drugged and raped them. There is a difference between two adults going out for drinks and/or voluntarily taking drugs and then having sex because inhibitions are lowered and a man in a position of power giving serially giving mostly younger, vulnerable women, powerful sedatives and having sex with them when they lack the ability to consent.

The problem with this case is its a very old case and it will be near impossible to win these old rape cases one at a time, it is just too easy to create reasonable doubt. It might very well be that among the 45 women making claims against Cosby, some are taking advantage of the publicity and some of them may have wanted to have sex with a celebrity like him.

If there were just a few making complaints, I would have a hard time believing bad of Bill Cosby. I was a big fan of his growing up. But I think the chances that 45 women all made up lies about Cosby is about zero. He is most likely a serial rapist who may get away with it, at least partly. I say partly, because he is paying a price. His reputation is tarnished and at his age the toll a trial like this takes on him is actually quite big.

 

[WhoDatPhan78]

Someone make me understand that, bc it still seems consensual to me.

The problem comes after the pills.

Consenting to take the pills, doesn't mean they give up their right to consent to what happens after.

 

[st dude]

I said there were 45 Cosby accusers, but this article says 48. Might some of these ladies be lying for purposes of secondary gain? Sure. But the sheer number of accusers and pattern of the assaults leads to one of two conclusions:

48 women of varying backgrounds are all liars, many of them perjuring themselves, all of them publicly admitting to the shame of being raped.

or

Cosby is a serial rapist.

I was not in the room when any of this happened so its not for me to say I know Cosby is a rapist. I can say my common sense leads me to that conclusion because of the sheer numbers of accusers.

http://www.thewrap.com/19-bill-cosby-accusers-complete-breakdown-of-the-allegations-so-far/

 

[B4YOU]

I have some random observations.

Rapes are the hardest cases to prove. When I was with the DAs office, before dna evidence, we won over 90% of our cases overall, but about 50% of the rape cases. Consensual rape cases were the hardest. I tired a half dozen rape cases and won them all, but only one where consent was a defense and I would have lost that trial had the idiot defendant not taken the stand.

The Cosby case was not tried because of an overzealous prosecutor or because Cosby was some black hero white prosecutors wanted to take down (this is in response to Cosby's representatives saying the DA case was racially motivated and that the DA and judge were biased).

The Cosby case went to trial because 45 different women, of differing age, background and race, have claimed Cosby drugged and raped them. There is a difference between two adults going out for drinks and/or voluntarily taking drugs and then having sex because inhibitions are lowered and a man in a position of power giving serially giving mostly younger, vulnerable women, powerful sedatives and having sex with them when they lack the ability to consent.

The problem with this case is its a very old case and it will be near impossible to win these old rape cases one at a time, it is just too easy to create reasonable doubt. It might very well be that among the 45 women making claims against Cosby, some are taking advantage of the publicity and some of them may have wanted to have sex with a celebrity like him.

If there were just a few making complaints, I would have a hard time believing bad of Bill Cosby. I was a big fan of his growing up. But I think the chances that 45 women all made up lies about Cosby is about zero. He is most likely a serial rapist who may get away with it, at least partly. I say partly, because he is paying a price. His reputation is tarnished and at his age the toll a trial like this takes on him is actually quite big.

What's your opinion of the judge allowing only one other woman to testify about being drugged and raped in spite of there being dozens who have said the same thing occurred?

 

[st dude]

What's your opinion of the judge allowing only one other woman to testify about being drugged and raped in spite of there being dozens who have said the same thing occurred?

I do not know enough to have an opinion if the judge acted properly or not.

As I have written in other posts way back when about Cosby and Sharper cases, these cases are likely won or lost during pretrial motions on the admissibility or inadmissibility of what we call "other similar incidents", osi's.

Generally speaking in criminal law, evidence of other crimes is not admissible. There is an exception to that rule when other crimes can be introduced to show pattern or intent.

For example, when Darren Sharper was first accused I think the default for most people, including me, would be to doubt the accuser and wonder if she was making a money grab. The allegation of an assault seemed so out of character for Sharper, a very much respected NFL player. In my judgment it would near impossible to convict Sharper without evidence of other accusers.

The same is true with Cosby. If a couple women came out and accused Cosby, I think most all of us would give him the benefit of a doubt.

Which other crime or other similar incident is admissible is decided by the trial judge, who has great discretion in these matters. Which ones are admissible depend on a lot of factors, the main one being how similar the cases are.

Knowing how highly prejudicial such evidence can be and sometimes unfair to a defendant who is charged with one crime but finds himself defending many crimes, judges are very careful and can hold the prosecution to a strict burden.

I did not follow the trial to know how many other cases the prosecution got in or tried to get in. If they only got in evidence of one similar crime, I have no idea why Cosby's people are saying the judge was biased. His pretrial ruling likely saved Cosby as the more evidence of similar incidents was allowed, the more likely Cosby gets convicted.

Sharper likely would have had a much harder time keeping other crimes evidence out because the claims against him were very similar and very recent. With Cosby, you have claims dating back twenty years and it would be very unfair to him to have to defend not only the offense he is charged with but also a lot of offenses that happened many years ago.

 

[mt15]

I haven't really followed the trial, but the little bit I read afterward suggested there may have been one (male) juror who was mostly responsible for the hung jury. So even with all the hurdles that dude mentioned, it just takes one juror trying to make a point to cause a hung jury.

 

[2009ring]

FWIW although the trial was held locally, the jury was made up of people from Pittsburgh area.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Well, this seems like a great idea
====================================

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bill Cosby will organize a series of town hall meetings to help educate young people about problems their misbehavior could create and other issues, a spokesman for Cosby said.

Cosby is eager to get back to work following a deadlocked jury and mistrial in his sexual assault case, spokesman Andrew Wyatt told Birmingham, Alabama, TV station WBRC on Wednesday.

“We’ll talk to young people. Because this is bigger than Bill Cosby. You know, this, this issue can affect any young person, especially young athletes of today,” Wyatt said. “And they need to know what they’re facing when they’re hanging out and partying, when they’re doing certain things they shouldn’t be doing.

“And it also affects married men,” Wyatt said, without elaborating.........

https://apnews.com/1db88c4fc62d4e5b9fc9db8b979c80e2

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Well, this seems like a great idea
====================================

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bill Cosby will organize a series of town hall meetings to help educate young people about problems their misbehavior could create and other issues, a spokesman for Cosby said.

Cosby is eager to get back to work following a deadlocked jury and mistrial in his sexual assault case, spokesman Andrew Wyatt told Birmingham, Alabama, TV station WBRC on Wednesday.

“We’ll talk to young people. Because this is bigger than Bill Cosby. You know, this, this issue can affect any young person, especially young athletes of today,” Wyatt said. “And they need to know what they’re facing when they’re hanging out and partying, when they’re doing certain things they shouldn’t be doing.

“And it also affects married men,” Wyatt said, without elaborating.........

https://apnews.com/1db88c4fc62d4e5b9fc9db8b979c80e2

He should do a double bill show with Trump - Donald can lead a seminar in sensible tweeting

 

[coldseat]

That guy has incredible chustzpah. :rolleys:

 

[Optimus Prime]

New trial starts next month

Post Me Too and Times Up do you think the outcome is different this time around?
=======================================================
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A judge agreed Thursday to let five additional Bill Cosby accusers testify at his April 2 retrial for an alleged 2004 sexual assault, giving prosecutors a chance to portray the man once known as “America’s Dad” as a serial predator who made a sadistic habit of drugging and molesting women.

Judge Steven O’Neill said prosecutors could choose the witnesses from a list of eight women with allegations dating as far back as the early 1980s. They include model Janice Dickinson, who said Cosby knocked her out with pills and raped her during a 1982 trip to Lake Tahoe.

Prosecutors, eager to expand the scope of the underlying he-said-she-said case, had pushed to let jurors hear from as many as 19 of the dozens of women who say Cosby assaulted them over a five-decade span.

“We are reviewing the judge’s order and will be making some determinations,” District Attorney Kevin Steele said.

Dickinson’s lawyer, Lisa Bloom, said if her client is picked, she would be “ready, willing and able to testify.” Bloom said Dickinson “has waited decades for this opportunity.”

Cosby’s retooled legal team, led by former Michael Jackson lawyer Tom Mesereau, went to court last week to block any additional accusers from testifying.

Cosby’s lawyers argued prosecutors are trying to bolster an otherwise weak case with “ancient allegations” that would confuse, distract and prejudice the jury against the 80-year-old comedian.

“It just shows how desperate they are and that this is a very weak case,” Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt said after O’Neill’s ruling. “Mr. Cosby is innocent of these charges.”.................................

https://apnews.com/5d72776e573948eba2781934af34fcc3

 

[B-Train]

Cosby found guilty on all three charges.


Now that the legal process is finally adjudicated... Can we FINALLY acknowledge that this dude is a creep without people throwing in the whole "well, ackkkchuyally, what happened to innocent till proven guilty?! maybe all those women were just making it up!!!!1"


Seems like Sexual Assault/Rape is the only crime where this prevailing mentality seems to come out of the woodworks.

 

[Krodwhodat]

Cosby found guilty on all three charges.


Now that the legal process is finally adjudicated... Can we FINALLY acknowledge that this dude is a creep without people throwing in the whole "well, ackkkchuyally, what happened to innocent till proven guilty?! maybe all those women were just making it up!!!!1"


Seems like Sexual Assault/Rape is the only crime where this prevailing mentality seems to come out of the woodworks.

Will he get jail time or probation or a country club is the next question


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[guidomerkinsrules]

Cosby found guilty on all three charges.


Now that the legal process is finally adjudicated... Can we FINALLY acknowledge that this dude is a creep without people throwing in the whole "well, ackkkchuyally, what happened to innocent till proven guilty?! maybe all those women were just making it up!!!!1"


Seems like Sexual Assault/Rape is the only crime where this prevailing mentality seems to come out of the woodworks.

Yes

Side note, this has been a crazy week for black twitter