Until today, our Bill Cosby biography included the phrase “Bill Cosby has never been charged with a crime.”
That all changed with the news that Bill Cosby has been charged with the felony of aggravated indecent assault in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The charges stem from a 2004 incident between Cosby and Andrea Constand, who then was Director of Operations for the women’s basketball team at Temple University, Cosby’s alma mater.
The incident was already known: the transcript of Cosby’s deposition in a civil suit was revealed earlier this year, with the New York Times saying that Cosby came across as “an unapologetic, cavalier playboy, someone who used a combination of fame, apparent concern and powerful sedatives in a calculated pursuit of young women.” That case was settled out of court in 2006. Cosby has always publicly denied any wrongdoing in all such cases (including the 35 women who told their stories to New York magazine earlier this year).
But now the Andrea Constand case has gone to criminal charges. Constand said that during a 2004 visit to Cosby at his home, he gave her “herbal” pills and wine that made her weak, dizzy, nauseous and finally caused her to pass out.
You can read the full criminal complaint here.
Meanwhile, we have updated our Bill Cosby biography to reflect the fact that he has, finally, been charged with a felony.
See the full Bill Cosby biography »