Bill Cosby Rape Trial Starts June, Will Prosecutors Use His Jokes Against Him?

On Monday, Bill Cosby will return to court in an effort to fight the upcoming sexual assault trial. Apparently, the jokes that the actor made regarding date rape drugs may affect his case and his lawyers are trying to have it excluded from the trial.

Bill Cosby is currently facing charges of aggravated incident assault as per Mainline Media News. The case aims to investigate the events that transpired with former Temple university athletic department employee, Andrea Constand. Mr. Cosby allegedly drugged her with blue pills and wine at his home back in January 2004.

Apparently, Cosby admitted to having seven prescriptions for Quaaludes in the 1970s. However, he did not use these drugs and intended to give it to women who he wanted to have sex with. It is worth mentioning that these drugs were banned in 1983, and Mr. Cosby claims that he no longer has them in his position when he met Ms. Constand decades later.

Ms. Constand sued the actor for defamation and sexual battery in 2005 while Mr. Cosby settled the lawsuit with an unknown amount of money as per CBS News. When the case was filed in 2015, the actor pleaded not guilty. In the event that the Mr. Cosby is convicted of charges at the trial, he will face a maximum sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison.

In addition, dozens of women have come forward claiming to be victims of Mr. Cosby’s drug-induced sexual assault as reported by Court House News. These claims date back to the 1970s, however, Ms. Constand’s case was the only one not hindered by limitations.

Prosecutors were able to find a reference to an aphrodisiac called “Spanish Fly” that Mr. Cosby made in his 1991 book Childhood. In his book, Mr. Cosby wrote that he and his friends needed the said aphrodisiac because girls were “never in the mood” for them.

To make matters worse, the actor’s statements during a talk show with host Larry King was also cited by lawyers as reported by 9 News. Apparently, Mr. Cosby stated during The Larry king Show that “Spanish Fly was the thing that all boys, from age 11 till death, were searching for.” He later added that all the girl had to do is drink it and “hello America.”

The comments made by the 79-year-old actor led prosecutors to go to court, informing them that such statements show that Bill Cosby is familiar with date rape drugs. However, his defense lawyers, Brian J. McMonagle and Angela C. Agrusa, claim that such statements are comedic despite being about Spanish Fly and are in no way a form of admission to anything.

“They are jokes – fabrications and fictionalized tales recounted to entertain Mr. Cosby’s audiences.” The lawyers wrote in papers filed in Montgomery County Court on Friday. “These jokes are not about Mr. Cosby, not about the assault, and not about rendering anyone unconscious.”

Mr. Cosby’s lawyers argue that these references to the date rape drug are not relevant to the allegations against the actor. Moreover, they also implied that the prosecutors are aiming to damage Mr. Cosby’s reputation by using these previously made jokes in the case.

The defense lawyers also argue that the prosecutors are distorting something that is meant to be humorous by separating it from its actual context. The comments about the Spanish Fly found in Mr. Cosby’s book was meant for entertainment, a form of artistic expression that never happened in real life.

“Using this material as proof of Mr. Cosby’s character, motive, or intent would bring information before the jury that has nothing to do with Ms. Constand’s allegations and it would seriously prejudice Mr. Cosby.”

[Featured Image By Matt Slocum/AP Images]