NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The Latest on Bill Cosby’s sexual assault retrial (all times local):
2 p.m.
An old friend of Bill Cosby’s chief accuser has told the jury that Andrea Constand was passionate about becoming a broadcaster.
Robert Russell testified briefly Friday at Cosby’s sexual assault retrial.
He says Constand was excited about getting an interview with TSN, Canada’s version of ESPN.
The defense called Russell to contradict Constand’s testimony that she wasn’t really interested in pursuing a sports broadcasting career despite accepting Cosby’s help and connections.
Testimony wrapped up early on Day 10 of Cosby’s retrial. The trial resumes Monday.
Cosby is charged with drugging and molesting Constand in 2004. He says it was consensual.
The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.
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1:25 p.m.
Bill Cosby’s lawyers want jurors to hear from a friend of accuser Andrea Constand who says Constand dreamed of becoming a millionaire.
Cosby lawyer Tom Mesereau says Robert Russell’s testimony would bolster the defense assertion that Constand feigned romantic interest in Cosby to frame him and collect a big financial settlement.
Judge Steven O’Neill won’t allow Russell to testify about Constand’s “millionaire” aspirations but says he can tell jurors that Constand spoke of wanting to become a broadcaster.
The defense wants to contradict Constand’s testimony that she wasn’t really interested in pursuing a sports broadcasting career despite accepting Cosby’s help and connections.
Constand’s lawyer didn’t immediately return a phone call about Russell’s claims.
The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.
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Noon
Jurors are seeing Bill Cosby’s travel records as his lawyers make the case that he never visited his suburban Philadelphia mansion in the month he’s accused of drugging and molesting a woman there.
Cosby’s lawyers are challenging the prosecution’s contention that the alleged assault happened within the 12-year statute of limitations.
The defense produced logs for Cosby’s private jet flights in January 2004, as well as several days’ worth of schedules listing his whereabouts and media appearances. The 80-year-old comedian’s personal assistant testified the flights coincided with comedy performances and other events on Cosby’s schedule.
The schedules do not show what Cosby was doing on his personal time.
Spokesman Andrew Wyatt said the records will “connect the dots” that Cosby wasn’t around Philadelphia at that time.
Cosby was charged in late 2015.
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10 a.m.
The judge in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault retrial is putting off a decision on whether to allow his lawyers to introduce testimony they say will shed light on the possible motivation of the comedian’s chief accuser.
The defense wants jurors to hear deposition testimony from Andrea Constand’s friend, Sheri Williams. Cosby’s lawyers say Williams has been unreachable, so they need her testimony from Constand’s 2005 civil lawsuit against Cosby.
Cosby’s lawyers said they expected Williams’ testimony to refute Constand’s claims that she was unaware he was romantically interested in her. They said she’d show that Constand “could not have been the unwitting victim” prosecutors have portrayed.
Judge Steven O’Neill appeared skeptical of the defense request Friday. O’Neill says he won’t rule until Monday.
The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.
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8:40 a.m.
Bill Cosby has arrived for Day 10 of his sexual assault retrial that is rapidly winding down.
The 80-year-old comedian entered the suburban Philadelphia courthouse Friday morning with his spokesman, Andrew Wyatt.
Cosby’s lawyers are trying to make sure jurors hear from primary accuser Andrea Constand’s confidante before deliberations get underway next week.
But they say they’re having trouble getting Sheri Williams to cooperate because she’s not responding to subpoena attempts.
Judge Steven O’Neill is expected to rule Friday on whether they can instead read parts of her deposition into the record, which is what prosecutors did with Cosby’s old testimony.
The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.
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12:30 a.m.
Bill Cosby’s lawyers are scrambling to make sure jurors at his sexual assault retrial hear from accuser Andrea Constand’s confidante before deliberations get underway next week.
But they say they’re having trouble getting Sheri Williams to cooperate because she’s not responding to subpoena attempts.
Judge Steven O’Neill is expected to rule Friday on whether they can instead read parts of her deposition into the record, which is what prosecutors did with Cosby’s old testimony.
Two weeks in, Cosby’s case is rapidly winding down.
O’Neill is telling jurors that there are only a few more days of testimony. Cosby lawyer Tom Mesereau went into the case predicting it would last about a month.
The Associated Press doesn’t typically identify people who say they’re victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.
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