Judge agrees to let 5 more accusers testify at Bill Cosby’s retrial
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Reporting from Philadelphia — A judge has agreed to let five additional accusers of Bill Cosby testify at his April 2 sexual assault retrial.
Judge Steven O’Neill’s ruling Thursday is a victory for prosecutors looking to portray the 80-year-old Cosby as one of Hollywood’s biggest serial predators.
Prosecutors contend the alleged 2004 assault that led to Cosby’s only criminal charges was the latest in a five-decade pattern of him drugging and attacking dozens of women.
Cosby’s lawyers fought the move. They argued prosecutors were looking to bolster a weak case with “ancient allegations” that would confuse and distract jurors in the #MeToo era.
O’Neill limited prosecutors at Cosby’s first trial last year to calling only the 2004 accuser and a woman who alleged a 1990s assault. That trial ended in a hung jury.
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