New Trial Date Set For Bill Cosby

NORRISTOWN, PA — The Bill Cosby retrial date has officially been set for Nov. 6 this fall, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday afternoon. This comes just weeks after the first trial against Cosby ended in a mistrial after the jury was deadlocked and unable to agree upon a verdict.

Cosby, 79, stands accused of three counts of aggravated indecent assault of Andrea Constand, 44, a former Temple University employee.

The case has drawn massive media attention, as swarms of supporters of both Constand and Cosby covered the streets around the courthouse throughout the trial and the jury deliberations.

Jury selection questions and jury instructions are due from attorneys by Oct. 30, Judge Steven T. O'Neill stated in a court order.

Jurors deliberated for 52 agonizing hours over the course of several days before they finally declared themselves deadlocked. In post-trial interviews, jurors described a highly tense environment during deliberation, which left some agitated, pacing, and, at times, crying.

After being split evenly for some time, jurors ultimately voted 10-2 to convict Cosby of two of the counts he faced. They voted 11-1 to acquit him of the third count.

The trial itself lasted just over five days, with the prosecution resting at the end of the fifth day and the defense calling just one witness before resting almost immediately. It's anyone's guess if the prosecution or defense will change their legal strategy leading up to the second trial.

The 12 jurors and eight alternates from the first trial were all from Allegheny County and remained sequestered from the public and their families for the duration of the trial in order to avoid prejudice. An entirely new jury will be selected for the retrial.

Pre-trial hearing dates and decorum information will be released shortly, according to Thursday's court order.

Image via Montgomery County District Attorney's Office