Bill Cosby's Lead Attorney, Brian McMonagle, To Withdraw From Team

NORRISTOWN, PA — Bill Cosby's lead attorney, Brian McMonagle, has requested to resign from the defense team and will not be defending the former comedian at his upcoming retrial, according to a motion filed in Montgomery County Court on Tuesday afternoon.

It is not certain why McMonagle, a high profile Philadelphia-area trial lawyer, wants out. However, rumors about McMonagle's impending departure have been circulating ever since Cosby's trial for aggravated indecent assault ended with a hung jury in June.

After decades of accusations from dozens of women, Cosby was brought to criminal trial for the first time this year by Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee who accused him of drugging her and sexually molesting her inside of his Cheltenham home.

During the conclusion of the trial, as the jury deliberated, Cosby's publicist Andrew Wyatt claimed that Cosby would be holding a series of "youth education town halls" around the country to warn young people about the dangers of misbehaving. Cosby himself came out later and said that he was not planning any such tour, and bizarrely labeled the notion "false propaganda."

Many speculated that there was a growing rift between Wyatt and the defense team, specifically McMonagle, the lead attorney. McMonagle had been largely quiet on the public front and kept his arguments to the courtroom, while Cosby's spokesperson was brazen and outspoken.

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In the motion to withdraw as counsel filed on Tuesday, McMonagle said that Cosby is currently seeking out a new lawyer. McMonagle asked the Court to give Cosby three weeks - until Aug. 21 - to find a new lead attorney. Assuming he does, it's likely McMonagle's request will be approved.

McMonagle is a partner in the Center City firm McMonagle, Perri, McHugh, and Mischak.

Cosby's retrial is scheduled for Nov. 6.

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