Page 7 - aruba-today-20170617

A7
U.S. NEWS Saturday 17 June 2017

At impasse, Bill Cosby jury tests patience of judge, defense

By MARYCLAIRE DALE ment of intimacy.
MICHAEL R. SISAK McMonagle objected in
Associated Press court to the panel’s re-
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — peated requests to review
The jury in Bill Cosby’s sex- testimony, saying it sug-
ual assault case tested the gested some jurors were
patience of defense law- trying to coerce other ju-
yers and even the judge rors in an attempt to bring
on the fifth day of delibera- an end to the deadlock.
tions Friday as it repeatedly “They were here!” said Mc-
asked to run through testi- Monagle, exasperated.
mony from the TV star, his The judge said he saw no
accuser and others, strug- evidence of coercion or
gling to break a deadlock trouble in the deliberat-
that threatens to end the ing room after the jurors
trial without a verdict. reported their impasse on
With deliberations running Thursday and he instructed
about as long as the tes- them to keep trying for a
timony of all the witnesses verdict.
combined, the 79-year- “There’s a misperception
old TV star’s lawyer com- that there’s a time limit,”
plained that jurors were the judge said.
seeking a replay of the en- Bill Cosby arrives at the Montgomery County Courthouse during his sexual assault trial, Friday, The panel got the case on
June 16, 2017, in Norristown, Pa.
tire trial. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Monday. It must come to
Judge Steven O’Neill twice a unanimous decision to
refused defense requests case to result in criminal wanted to have sex. that prosecutors must cross convict or acquit.
for a mistrial, declaring that charges. The testimony is relevant to win a conviction, and If the panel can’t break
jurors could talk as long as On Friday, the jury asked to because Cosby is charged reviewed testimony from the deadlock, the judge
they wanted over allega- review multiple pieces of with giving pills to Con- Constand and her mother could declare a hung jury
tions that Cosby drugged evidence, including Cos- stand, a former Temple about phone conversa- and a mistrial. In that case,
and molested a woman at by’s 2006 deposition testi- University employee, to in- tions they had with Cosby prosecutors would get four
his suburban Philadelphia mony about quaaludes, a capacitate her before their after the encounter. Ac- months to decide whether
mansion in 2004. now-banned party drug. sexual encounter. He has cording to the testimony, they want to retry Cosby or
But even the solicitous Cosby, who gave the de- said it was Benadryl, a cold Cosby called himself a drop the charges.
judge had his limits, putting position as part of Con- and allergy medicine. Pros- “sick man” but refused to The Associated Press does
his foot down late Friday stand’s lawsuit against ecutors have suggested he identify the pills he gave to not typically identify peo-
afternoon when the jurors him, said he got seven pre- gave her something stron- Constand. ple who say they are vic-
asked to hear a sliver of scriptions for the powerful ger, possibly quaaludes. Cosby’s lawyer, Brian Mc- tims of sexual assault un-
testimony they’d just had sedative in the 1970s for The jurors also listened to Monagle, has said Cosby less they grant permission,
read back to them. The the purpose of giving them the definition of reason- and Constand were lovers which Constand has done.
judge told them they had to women with whom he able doubt, the threshold sharing a consensual mo- q
to rely on their collective
memory. Police:
As the panel deliberated
him to prison for the rest 3 teen cadets take cruisers, patrol LA until caught
charges that could send
of his life, Cosby tweeted
thanks to his fans and sup- By MICHAEL BALSAMO name to sign out stun guns and ra- review of the department’s cadet
porters. Associated Press dios and drive the cars right out of a program and policies for managing
The case has already LOS ANGELES (AP) — stationhouse parking lot, Beck said. inventory.
helped demolish Cos- Three teenagers in a program for Police are investigating whether the “We are going to take this apart
by’s image as America’s
Dad, cultivated during his those who may want to become of- teens impersonated officers and top to bottom,” Beck said at a news
eight-year run as Dr. Cliff ficers stole three Los Angeles Police pulled over drivers. conference Thursday. “We’re going
Huxtable on the top-rated Department vehicles and went on The three were arrested Wednesday to see what we can do better and
“The Cosby Show” in the patrol around the city before leading after two pursuits ended with crashes we’re going to do it.”
1980s and ‘90s. authorities on wild pursuits that ended in South Los Angeles. The three were part of a program for
Dozens of women have with crashes, Chief Charlie Beck said. A third police car was later recov- teen volunteers who work in police
come forward to say he The trio — two boys and a girl ages ered around the corner from a police stations and go through an academy
drugged and assaulted 15, 16 and 17 — “gamed the system” station. to learn about the criminal justice
them, but this was the only and used a vacationing sergeant’s Beck said he had ordered a thorough system.q