Bill Cosby Unsealed: Judge Explains Why He Unsealed The Deposition
Bill Cosby made headlines this week after a deposition from 2005 was unsealed and made available to the public Monday.
The person responsible for unsealing the deposition — Judge Eduardo Robreno — apparently did not hesitate to explain exactly why he decided to do so.
In a memo reportedly obtained by Entertainment Weekly, Robreno acknowledged that the unsealing was in response to a requested demand for release submitted by the Associated Press.
A judge has explained why he unsealed Bill Cosby’s deposition: http://t.co/mYcGUe55Tv pic.twitter.com/Pcfk2ct2qU
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) July 7, 2015
According to the memo, Robreno felt that the request was “legitimate” and not “commercial” in interest.
Within the same memo, the longtime federal judge credited the “stark contrast” between Bill Cosby’s persona in the public eye and his private life as one of the main reasons that he approved the request.
“The stark contrast between Bill Cosby, the public moralist and Bill Cosby, the subject of serious allegations concerning improper (and perhaps criminal) conduct, is a matter as to which the [Associated Press] – and by extension the public – has a significant interest.”
Robreno further states in the memo that Bill Cosby’s decision to express himself on numerous other topics in the public spotlight over the years essentially restricted his own “zone of privacy” as a result, due to the nature of the allegations.
“[Bill Cosby] has donned the mantle of public moralist and mounted the proverbial electronic or print soap box to volunteer his views on, among other things, childrearing, family life, education and crime… He has voluntarily narrowed the zone of privacy that he is entitled to claim.”
The unsealed deposition was in reference to allegations made by Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee. Constand accused Cosby of sexually assaulting and drugging her in his Philadelphia mansion.
According to the documents, Bill Cosby admitted that he obtained seven prescriptions for quaaludes and also confirmed that he gave them to other people.
During his deposition, Bill Cosby also confirmed a sexual relationship in 1978 with another woman that accused him of drugging and assaulting her when she 19-years-old.
According to the Washington Times, the woman accused Cosby of defamation for denying her claims. However, he did confirm that he gave her drugs in his now-unsealed deposition.
“I meet (the accuser) in Las Vegas. She meets me backstage. I give her quaaludes. We then have sex. I do not. I can’t judge at this time what she knows about herself for 19 years, a passive personality. (The accuser) was sweet in her personality… If anything, I think she may very well have been very happy to be around the show business surroundings.”
Over 40 different women have come forward with allegations against the 77-year-old comedian, accusing the iconic TV dad of sexual assault.
Quite a few people — including celebrities and singers — spoke up on behalf of Bill Cosby when the allegations and accusations began to flood the media. However, the unsealed deposition has apparently caused many people to change their tune.
[Image Credit: David A. Smith / Getty Images]
