Accompanied into the courthouse by a member of the TV family who cemented his nice-guy image as America's Dad, Bill Cosby went on trial today in a sexual assault case, his legacy and his freedom on the line.
Cosby, 79, is accused of drugging and violating an employee of Temple University's basketball program at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004. The comedian could get 10 years in prison if convicted.
His wife was absent as the TV star, using a wooden cane, made his way past dozens of cameras into the courthouse. He chatted with actress Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played his daughter Rudy on the top-rated "The Cosby Show," as they walked together.
Cosby smiled but said nothing when someone asked how he was feeling.
Judge Steven T O'Neill instructed the jurors for an hour, reminding them not to glance at news updates on their cellphones. The jury was selected in the Pittsburgh area because of the heavy publicity surrounding the case and is sequestered at a hotel for the duration of the trial, expected to last two weeks.
Prosecutors and the defense were to give their opening statements later in the day.
Cosby's accuser, Andrea Constand, 44, of the Toronto area, is expected to take the stand this week and tell her story in public for the first time.
Cosby built a good-guy reputation as a father and family man, on screen and off, during his extraordinary 50-year career in entertainment. He created TV characters, most notably Dr Cliff Huxtable, with crossover appeal among blacks and whites alike. His TV shows, films and comedy tours earned him an estimated USD 400 million.
Then a deposition unsealed in 2015 in a lawsuit brought by Constand revealed an unsavory private life marked by a long history of sexual liaisons with young women. Dozens of women came forward to say he had drugged and assaulted them. The statute of limitations for bringing charges had run out in nearly every case. This is the only one to result in criminal charges against the comic.
Celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, who showed up for the first day of the trial, told reporters she is hopeful "there will be justice in this case.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)