As a date is set for his criminal trial

A court date has been set for Bill Cosby’s trail for the alleged sexual assault 

The comedian will defend himself against charges that he attacked Andrea Constand in a hearing scheduled to begin on June 5, next year.

The 79-year-old required a cane and an aide to make it from his vehicle to the Pennsylvania courthouse where the date was set. Montgomery County Judge Steven O’Neill acknowledged that Cosby is now blind and will need assistance at the trial.

The prosecution wants to call13 other witnesses who claim Cosby alleged sexual assaulted them  to establish a ‘pattern of behaviour’ – a move his defence team is vigorously fighting. The judge has not yet ruled on whether to allow this.

Outside court, Cosby’s lawyers suggested the ‘barrage’ of accusations were a result of racism, and likened his situation to the disproportionate number of black men shot by US police, leading to the #blacklivesmatter movement.

Attorney Angela Agrusa said: ‘For Mr. Cosby, this is a version of the "shoot now, ask questions later" approach to judicial justice that you’re seeing in the streets.’

In a statement, the team added: ‘The time has come to shine a spotlight on the trampling of Mr Cosby's civil rights. Her [Constand’s] campaign against Mr Cosby builds on racial bias and prejudice that can pollute the court of public opinion.’

Gloria Allred, who represents some of Cosby’s accusers,fired back: ‘He complains about racial bias but what about the African American women whom I represent who accuse him of sexual assault or rape and who refuse to remain silent about what they say they have suffered?’

Constand claims Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her at his Pennsylvania home in January 2004. Cosby claims the encounter was consensual.

It the only criminal case stemming from dozens of claims of sexual misconduct, many of which are too old to come to court because of the statute of limitations.

Published: 7 Sep 2016