Bill Cosby, 81-year-old American comedian could face the rest of his life in jail after he was found guilty of sexual assault in April after a jury heard allegations from Andrea Constand.
If sentenced for his crimes, Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill who will have the final say Monday could put Cosby on probation, house arrest or throw him into prison.
Cosby was found guilty on three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault for drugging and molesting Constand, 45, at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.
Cosby was accused by dozens of women of similar crimes after public interest in his rape allegations was renewed.
However, Constand’s were unique in that the statute of limitations on the crime had not yet expired.
Sentencing begins Monday and is expected to last two days. While the judge will ultimately have the final say in Cosby’s punishment, the potential consequences for Cosby’s crimes allow for many options.
The maximum term is 10 years per count. However, a smaller jail stint, house arrest and probation are also on the table for the embattled former comedian.
Given his advanced age and health issues, it’s likely that Cosby’s legal team will argue for a lesser sentence than the max 30 years. Regardless, his lawyers previously made it clear that he plans to appeal the verdict.
His trial is being heralded as the first major celebrity trial of the #MeToo era.
AFP
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