Bill Cosby Trial Date Set For June Of 2017

A trial date for Bill Cosby was set for June 5, 2017, during an evidence hearing in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday afternoon, according to multiple media sources. That is the earliest date for the felony aggravated indecent assault trial, Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Steven O'Neill reportedly stressed, because Cosby's lawyers are overbooked. Other hearings and appeals in the meantime could push that date back even farther, NBC News reports.

Just prior to the hearing Tuesday, prosecutors filed in Montgomery County court to have the testimony of 13 other women who have accused Cosby of crimes related to sexual assault included in evidence. All of the women allege similar criminal actions to those alleged by Andrea Constand, the former Temple University employee whose case is presently being pursued: that Cosby, to some extent, drugged and sexually assaulted them.

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O'Neill will determine at a later date whether or not to allow the testimony from the other accusers.

According to the Associated Press, Cosby's lawyers are likely to ask the trial be moved from Montgomery County because his defense team believes the public has been unduly swayed to the opinion that Cosby is a sexual predator during recent election cycles. Cosby was a focal point of current District Attorney Kevin Steele's campaign against Bruce Castor last year.

The alleged assault of Constand took place in Cosby's Cheltenham home.

During the hearing Tuesday, Cosby's lawyers requested certain key evidence be removed from consideration.

Cosby's new legal team will attempt to have around 1,000 pages of testimony which Cosby gave during a previous lawsuit thrown out, according to Billboard.

The former comedian had given the testimony when Andrea Constand, the former Temple University employee whom Cosby is accused of sexually assaulting, filed a lawsuit, 6ABC states.

Also on the defense's wishlist is to have a phone call between Cosby and Constand's mother removed from consideration. The precise nature of the phone call is unclear, but Cosby's team clearly feels it would portray him in a less than flattering light.

Cosby, 79, has gone completely blind and is living in a "personal hell," confined to his Cheltenham home, Page 6 reported in July. He is suffering from a degenerative eye condition.

Since the charges were filed against Cosby, his legal team has made numerous attempts to have the case thrown out of court. Each attempt ultimately failed and finally resulted in Cosby revamping his entire team. Angela Agrusa of Liner LLP took over on July 11. Inside the courtroom, longtime litigator Brian McMonagle will lead the defense.

More than 50 women have accused Cosby of indecent assault and related crimes, but Constand's case is the first to be brought this far along in the legal process.

Cosby admits to sexual contact with Constand during an incident between mid-January and mid-February of 2004 but says it was consensual. Constand says that Cosby drugged her wine before sexually assaulting her.

Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor decided in February 2005 not to prosecute. Constand then won a civil suit against Cosby for battery and sexual assault, a case which ran from March 8, 2005 through to July 13, 2006.

District Attorney Kevin Steele is prosecuting the case. O'Neill could also set a trial date during the Tuesday hearing, reports state.

Image via Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.