About 100 potential jurors were due in a Pennsylvania courthouse on Monday, where a judge will begin selecting the panel for the rape trial of Bill Cosby, a comedian best known as America's favorite TV dad before dozens of women accused him of sex abuse.
Cosby built a long career with a family-friendly style of comedy that peaked when he played the father character, Heathcliff Huxtable, in the 1980s television hit "The Cosby Show." His reputation began to crumble amid a series of lawsuits and allegations charging him with drugging and sexually assaulting women in incidents dating back a half-century.
All but one claim is too old to be the subject of criminal prosecution, leaving Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill with the task of picking the 12 jurors who will determine whether Cosby, 79, is guilty of sexually assaulting a former Temple University basketball coach at the actor's home in the Philadelphia suburbs in 2004.
Cosby has steadfastly denied wrongdoing, portraying all the encounters as consensual and contending that some accusers aimed to prey on his celebrity to secure large cash settlements in lawsuits.
He said in a radio interview last week that he does not plan to take the stand, meaning that the trial will likely focus on the testimony of accuser Andrea Constand.
Her accusation led to Cosby's arrest in December 2014, days before the statute of limitations on the alleged crime was to expire.
The case has drawn massive media coverage, leading O'Neill to agree to select jurors in Pittsburgh, rather than Montgomery County, where Cosby will be tried starting on June 5.
O'Neill will likely not attempt to find people who have not heard of Cosby, but push for jurors who vow to base their verdict solely on the evidence presented at trial.
"You have the right to a fair trial and an impartial jury," said Douglas Sughrue, a Pittsburgh defense attorney. "A fair trial doesn't mean that people aren't going to know anything about the defendant."
Prosecutors plan to call another accuser, whose name has not been made public, to testify about her own allegations of sexual assault, as they strive to bolster Constand's account by showing that Cosby engaged in a pattern of criminal behavior.
Defense lawyers are expected to grill Constand on her credibility, including why she did not report the incident until the following year and why she had remained friendly with Cosby.
Reuters
Mon May 22 2017
![Moment of truth for Cosby as jury selection for sex assault trial begins Moment of truth for Cosby as jury selection for sex assault trial begins](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2017-05/81495467481_BillCosby.jpg)
FILE PHOTO - Actor and comedian Bill Cosby arrives for the second day of hearings at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania February 3, 2016. REUTERS/Ed Hille
![Jokowi ke Abu Dhabi untuk perbincangan dengan Presiden UAE mengenai kerjasama Jokowi ke Abu Dhabi untuk perbincangan dengan Presiden UAE mengenai kerjasama](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-08/41660792602_jokowi.jpg)
Jokowi ke Abu Dhabi untuk perbincangan dengan Presiden UAE mengenai kerjasama
Presiden Jokowi dijadual bertemu rakan sejawatannya dari UAE pada 17 Julai.
![Tiga jurusolek lelaki berperwatakan wanita didakwa rompak rakan Tiga jurusolek lelaki berperwatakan wanita didakwa rompak rakan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-01/81673948647_TBGAVEL.jpg)
Tiga jurusolek lelaki berperwatakan wanita didakwa rompak rakan
Kesemua mereka dakwa mengikut Seksyen 395 Kanun Keseksaan yang membawa hukuman penjara maksimum 20 tahun dan boleh dikenakan denda dan sebat, jika sabit kesalahan.
![Timbalan Speaker Dewan Rakyat buat laporan polis berkaitan hasutan, fitnah di Facebook Timbalan Speaker Dewan Rakyat buat laporan polis berkaitan hasutan, fitnah di Facebook](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-06/61686778902_RamliMohdNor.jpg)
Timbalan Speaker Dewan Rakyat buat laporan polis berkaitan hasutan, fitnah di Facebook
Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor mendapati hantaran pemilik akaun itu sangat tidak berasas dan tidak bertanggungjawab.
AWANI Ringkas: Pan-Gon letak jawatan | Ini pandangan peribadi
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![Agong berkenan berangkat ke pra-Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja ke-266 Agong berkenan berangkat ke pra-Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja ke-266](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721119877_SultanIbrahim.jpg)
Agong berkenan berangkat ke pra-Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja ke-266
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim berkenan berangkat ke pra-Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja (MRR) ke-266 di Istana Negarahari ini.
![Status ADUN Rembia: DUN Melaka tunggu surat rasmi Status ADUN Rembia: DUN Melaka tunggu surat rasmi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721108165_ADUNRembiaPN.jpg)
Status ADUN Rembia: DUN Melaka tunggu surat rasmi
Speaker DUN Melaka, Datuk Ibrahim Durum berkata, setakat ini pihaknya belum dimaklumkan secara rasmi dan perbincangan berhubung perkara itu akan diadakan.
![Warga emas bersalah bunuh abang, kakak ipar Warga emas bersalah bunuh abang, kakak ipar](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721119130_wargaemasbersalah.jpg)
Warga emas bersalah bunuh abang, kakak ipar
Mahkamah Tinggi di sini hari ini mensabitkan kesalahan seorang warga emas atas dua pertuduhan pindaan membunuh abang dan kakak iparnya dua tahun lalu.
![PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp kemuka laporan tindakan susulan PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp kemuka laporan tindakan susulan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721120782_TBMASERMIEYATI.jpg)
PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp kemuka laporan tindakan susulan
Mas Ermieyati Samsudin berkata tempoh itu diberikan susulan laporan audit berkaitan, baru dibentangkan pada minggu lepas.
![Buli siber: Beberapa kementerian bincang perketat undang-undang - Fahmi Buli siber: Beberapa kementerian bincang perketat undang-undang - Fahmi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721118437_FahmiFadzil.jpg)
Buli siber: Beberapa kementerian bincang perketat undang-undang - Fahmi
Penambahbaikan aspek perundangan akan diteliti kerajaan, termasuk mengadakan perbincangan dengan beberapa kementerian berkaitan dalam masa terdekat.
![Kementerian Digital sedia bantu PKS dalam pelaksanaan e-invois - Gobind Kementerian Digital sedia bantu PKS dalam pelaksanaan e-invois - Gobind](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2019-12/81575261818_GobindSinghDeo.jpg)
Kementerian Digital sedia bantu PKS dalam pelaksanaan e-invois - Gobind
Beliau menegaskan bahawa pelaksanaan e-Invois itu akan memberi manfaat, termasuk meningkatkan pendapatan PKS.
![Bill Cosby sekali lagi disaman dakwaan terbaharu serangan seksual Bill Cosby sekali lagi disaman dakwaan terbaharu serangan seksual](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-11/41638239675_TBBILLCOSBYCONVICTE.jpg)
Bill Cosby sekali lagi disaman dakwaan terbaharu serangan seksual
Valentino memfailkan kes itu di Mahkamah Tinggi Daerah Los Angeles pada Jumaat mengikut undang-undang baharu.
![Pendakwa raya gesa Mahkamah Tinggi kembalikan sabitan serangan seksual Bill Cosby Pendakwa raya gesa Mahkamah Tinggi kembalikan sabitan serangan seksual Bill Cosby](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-11/41638239675_TBBILLCOSBYCONVICTE.jpg)
Pendakwa raya gesa Mahkamah Tinggi kembalikan sabitan serangan seksual Bill Cosby
Cosby menghadapi bertubi-tubi dakwaan serangan seksual yang kemudian memusnahkan imejnya sebagai "American Dad"
![Bill Cosby bebas selepas mahkamah batal sabitan cabul Bill Cosby bebas selepas mahkamah batal sabitan cabul](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-10/51603246358_COSBY.jpg)
Bill Cosby bebas selepas mahkamah batal sabitan cabul
Cosby sebelum ini dipenjara 10 tahun atas kesalahan mencabul bekas pemain bola keranjang Andrea Constand.
![Pelawak Bill Cosby dipenjara 3 hingga 10 tahun Pelawak Bill Cosby dipenjara 3 hingga 10 tahun](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2018-09/61537912698_BillCosby.jpg)
Pelawak Bill Cosby dipenjara 3 hingga 10 tahun
Mahkamah daerah Montgomery menolak permohonan ikat jamin Cosby sekali gus menyaksikan beliau bermalam di penjara sementara menanti proses rayuan oleh pihak pembelaan.
![Serangan seksual: Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski disingkir akademi seni Serangan seksual: Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski disingkir akademi seni](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2018-05/51525407661_billcosbyromanpolan.jpg)
Serangan seksual: Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski disingkir akademi seni
Bekas lagenda komedi Bill Cosby dan pengarah filem Roman Polanski dibuang dari Akademi Sains dan Seni Perfileman kerana tuduhan melakukan serangan seksual.
![Cosby bersalah serangan seksual puluhan mangsa Cosby bersalah serangan seksual puluhan mangsa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2018-04/41524781605_TBBILLCOSBYCONVICTE.jpg)
Cosby bersalah serangan seksual puluhan mangsa
Juri yang bersidang lebih 14 jam untuk dua hari, mendapati Bill Cosby bersalah kesemua tiga tuduhan serangan seksual.
![Aktivis separuh bogel ancam Bill Cosby Aktivis separuh bogel ancam Bill Cosby](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2018-04/81523335742_BillCosby.jpg)
Aktivis separuh bogel ancam Bill Cosby
Seorang aktivis wanita mencetuskan kekecohan di luar mahkamah semalam, apabila cuba menyerang pelawak terkenal Bill Cosby.
![Fakta anda perlu tahu tentang bekas ikon komedi Bill Cosby Fakta anda perlu tahu tentang bekas ikon komedi Bill Cosby](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2016-01/51451785898_BillCosby.jpg)
Fakta anda perlu tahu tentang bekas ikon komedi Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby merupakan nama besar dalam dunia penyiaran dan pernah diangkat sebagai ikon komedi satu ketika dahulu.
![Cosby akan dibicara atas tuduhan seksual - Hakim Cosby akan dibicara atas tuduhan seksual - Hakim](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2016-02/81454462760_BillCosby.jpg)
Cosby akan dibicara atas tuduhan seksual - Hakim
Seorang hakim di Pennsylvania pada Rabu memutuskan bahawa legenda televisyen, Bill Cosby sepatutnya dibicarakan atas tuduhan serangan seksual ke atas seorang wanita di kediamannya di Philadelphia.
![35 wanita dakwa dirogol Bill Cosby tampil di muka depan majalah 'New York' 35 wanita dakwa dirogol Bill Cosby tampil di muka depan majalah 'New York'](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-07/41437991721_NewYorkMagazine.jpg)
35 wanita dakwa dirogol Bill Cosby tampil di muka depan majalah 'New York'
Muka hadapan majalah berkenaan turut menampilkan kerusi ke-36 untuk mewakili mangsa seterusnya untuk bersuara.