Topless Protester Charges At Bill Cosby As Retrial Begins

NORRISTOWN, PA -- A topless protester who turned out to be a former actress from "The Cosby Show" charged through the crowd and made it within a few feet of Bill Cosby as he arrived at the Montgomery County Courthouse for the first day of his retrial on charges of sexual assault.

The woman ran in front of television cameras at around 8:35 a.m. with messages scrawled all over her body in markers and then veered toward Cosby before she was taken into custody by sheriff's deputies, the District Attorney's Office said.

She has been identified as Nicolle Rochelle, 39, of Little Falls, New Jersey. Rochelle performed in four episodes of the "Cosby Show," according to her IMDB page.

Rochelle also had slogans written on her chest, including "Women's Lives Matter."

She was arrested and released after being charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

Monday was the first day of the retrial for Cosby, 81, who stands accused of drugging and indecently assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee, inside his Cheltenham home in 2004.

Protesters awaited Cosby with chants and signs on Monday morning as he arrived. Cosby's lawyers had attempted to get Judge Steven T. O'Neill to ban overt anti-Cosby displays around the courthouse for the retrial by asking for a ban of t-shirts, slogans, flowers, buttons, and other items which could "influence" the jurors.

Several organized protests, candlelight vigils, and other gatherings against Cosby and in support of Constand and women's rights are planned for Monday and the coming days around the courthouse area.

See our full coverage on Cosby and the case below.

• Cosby Team Claims Racial Prejudice In Jury Selection
• Cosby Defense May Call Witness That Doubts Accuser, Judge Rules
• Bill Cosby Team Seeks To Ban T-Shirts, Buttons, Flowers At Trial
• 5 Bill Cosby Accusers Can Testify At Trial, Judge Rules
• Judge O'Neill Denies Bill Cosby Team's Request For Recusal
• Bill Cosby's Daughter, Ensa, Dies At Age 44: Reports

#BREAKING Dramatic start to the day as we awaited Bill Cosby. Topless protester taken into custody after charging at the comedian as he walked into courthouse for sex assault retrial. pic.twitter.com/ZzOitqjlNm
— Jeannette Reyes (@6abcJeannette) April 9, 2018

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