As jurors in the sexual assault criminal trial of entertainer Bill Cosby deliberate for a third day after being given instructions on Monday night, fans (and the media) wait. And wait.
The seven men and five women on the jury began deliberations after a rapid six days of testimony and closing arguments in front of Judge Steven O’Neill at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa.
So far, they asked the judge a total of four questions seeking clarification and re-reading of excerpts of Cosby’s own words about his 2004 encounter with accuser Andrea Constand at his nearby home.
Experts and observers have some thoughts on what the drawn out deliberations may mean.
A. Scott Bolden, defense attorney at Reed Smith, Washington, D.C., and a former prosecutor, says he’s not surprised the jury is taking its time to process the case. “The jurors are grappling with getting it right,” he says. “That takes time. They are looking at the facts and evidence regarding ‘consent.’ and they were reviewing the deposition section regarding the manner in which the defendant Cosby used drugs to deal with women. The consent issue is good for Cosby — the deposition is not.”
Attorney Michael Bressler, who has been watching the trial proceedings, said long deliberations, in general, could be an indication that an ongoing debate is happening behind the closed doors as jurors take “issue with some of the facts.”
Or, it simply could be a sign that the jurors are meticulous, he said. “You could have a conscientious jury that is taking their civic responsibility very seriously…wanting to do a diligent job of going through the evidence and making sure they understand it correctly,” said Bressler, who is co-counsel in the forthcoming sexual assault civil case, Green v. Cosby.
Asked whether a lengthy deliberation process favors one side, Bressler said, “I don’t believe so.”
“A quick verdict will not be a good thing for Cosby,” says Stuart Slotnick, a New York criminal defense attorney who has been following the case for more than two years. “That does not mean that a verdict that takes several days will be a good thing for him, but if the jury takes time deliberating that means they are discussing reasonable doubt and if they can believe the complainant.”
What might lead to…
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