Cosby asks court to reseal testimony about affairs, drugs

[webfact]

Cosby asks court to reseal testimony about affairs, drugs
By MARYCLAIRE DALE

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bill Cosby's lawyers urged an appeals court Wednesday to reseal the comedian's lurid, decade-old testimony about his womanizing, but the panel of judges seemed to think the request was pointless, since the deposition has already made headlines around the world.

Members of the three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit of Appeals reeled off a list of "the toothpaste's out of the tube"-type metaphors to suggest that any damage to Cosby's reputation from the release of the testimony has already been done.

Cosby's attorneys hope a ruling in their favor could help them keep the documents from being used in the criminal case against him in Pennsylvania and in the many lawsuits filed around the country by women who accuse him of sexual assault or defamation.

But the judges questioned that strategy, too.

The other courts "don't have to necessarily follow us. We can't control them," Circuit Judge Thomas L. Ambro said.

Cosby gave the testimony in 2005 as part of a lawsuit brought against him by Andrea Constand, a Temple University employee who said he drugged and molested her at his home. She later settled for an undisclosed sum, and sensitive documents in the file remained sealed.

In the nearly 1,000-page deposition, the comic known as "America's Dad" admitted to several extramarital affairs and said he obtained quaaludes to give to women he hoped to seduce.

The documents were released last year on a request by The Associated Press. U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno found the public had a right to Cosby's testimony because of his role as a self-appointed "public moralist" and because he had denied accusations he drugged and molested women.

In court papers, Cosby's lawyers argue that the comedian had been assured confidentiality and that the "private and embarrassing testimony" would cause serious injury to the TV star, "who relies upon his reputation for his livelihood."

Faced with a skeptical panel of judges, Cosby lawyer George Gowen argued Wednesday that there may yet be more toothpaste in the tube. But Ambro said it was already spit out and "down the drain."

"You're asking us to put it back, and we just can't do it," Ambro said.

Gayle C. Sproul, a lawyer for the AP, argued against resealing the documents, saying that Cosby had not only spoken out on issues of marriage and morality, but had profited from them through books, TV shows and advertising.

The appeals court panel, though, debated whether entertainers who speak out on issues are really public figures under the law, with a lesser right to privacy.

The judges have a number of options: They could find the issue moot and let the unsealing stand; find it moot but still reject the lower court's "public moralist" reasoning; or rule in Cosby's favor and reseal the documents, even if they could still be found online.

The judges gave no indication of when they would rule.

The former TV star's lawyers say a ruling in their favor would allow Cosby to argue in the other cases against him that the testimony should never have been made public in the first place and should not be admitted as evidence.

The release of the deposition led prosecutors in suburban Philadelphia to revisit Constand's 2005 police complaint and charge Cosby in December with sexual assault.

Cosby, 78, is free on $1 million bail while a state appeals court considers whether a former prosecutor had made a binding promise that the star would never be charged in the Constand case.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-04-14

[Traveler19491]

So, let me see if I've got this right...Cosby, "America's Dad", who has, for decades, made millions off of his squeaky clean image as a moral purist, admitted to multiple affairs and to acquiring quaaludes for the purpose of drugging and molesting women, wants the documents that were made public, thus destroying a totally undeserved image from which he has undeservedly profited, hidden so that his lawyers can go into court and argue that the judge and jury shouldn't be allowed to look behind the curtain, so that the women he raped and molested can't hold him accountable...for doing the things he admitted to.

Seems legit.

[Emster23]

As an aside, it was noted the other day that Trump has a higher negative rating than even Cosby!

[humqdpf]

So, let me see if I've got this right...Cosby, "America's Dad", who has, for decades, made millions off of his squeaky clean image as a moral purist, admitted to multiple affairs and to acquiring quaaludes for the purpose of drugging and molesting women, wants the documents that were made public, thus destroying a totally undeserved image from which he has undeservedly profited, hidden so that his lawyers can go into court and argue that the judge and jury shouldn't be allowed to look behind the curtain, so that the women he raped and molested can't hold him accountable...for doing the things he admitted to.

Seems legit.

Just before you sentence Cosby in the court of Traveler19491, he has never admitted to administering quaaludes to women without their knowledge. The drug was a well-known recreational drug back in the 70s and many men and women used it to enhance sexual enjoyment. To quote his lawyers:

"Just because Bill Cosby admitted he gave Quaaludes to a woman he was in a consensual sexual relationship with in the 1970s does not mean he gave other women the drugs "without their knowledge or consent" or "engaged in any non-consensual sex," his attorneys say in a new court filing.

If you don't mind, I would prefer to wait until the court's verdict. Remember the trial of Michael Jackson, when everyone had decided he was a child molester.

[Traveler19491]

So, let me see if I've got this right...Cosby, "America's Dad", who has, for decades, made millions off of his squeaky clean image as a moral purist, admitted to multiple affairs and to acquiring quaaludes for the purpose of drugging and molesting women, wants the documents that were made public, thus destroying a totally undeserved image from which he has undeservedly profited, hidden so that his lawyers can go into court and argue that the judge and jury shouldn't be allowed to look behind the curtain, so that the women he raped and molested can't hold him accountable...for doing the things he admitted to.

Seems legit.

Just before you sentence Cosby in the court of Traveler19491, he has never admitted to administering quaaludes to women without their knowledge. The drug was a well-known recreational drug back in the 70s and many men and women used it to enhance sexual enjoyment. To quote his lawyers:

"Just because Bill Cosby admitted he gave Quaaludes to a woman he was in a consensual sexual relationship with in the 1970s does not mean he gave other women the drugs "without their knowledge or consent" or "engaged in any non-consensual sex," his attorneys say in a new court filing.

If you don't mind, I would prefer to wait until the court's verdict. Remember the trial of Michael Jackson, when everyone had decided he was a child molester.

My point being, if he has already admitted to this behavior..."In the nearly 1,000-page deposition, the comic known as "America's Dad" admitted to several extramarital affairs and said he obtained quaaludes to give to women he hoped to seduce ..." (you might want to check the quote a little closer, his lawyers statement notwithstanding...nothing about a "consensual sexual relationship"), it is, in my opinion, indicative of his character that he now seeks to ban the same admission. Additionally, whether the man gave the illegally obtained drugs to the women with their consent or otherwise is an open indictment of his character. I would further add that multiple women have insisted that the drugs were administered to them without their knowledge. And when asked, during the course of the deposition, if he gave the drugs without consent, his lawyer immediately instructed Cosby not to answer the question. Telling, in my opinion. http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/07/us/bill-cosby-quaaludes-sexual-assault-allegations/

I seem to recall that, as the accusations were initially coming to light, that myriad posters on TV were more than eager to label the women accusing him as nothing more than opportunists at best, lying sluts at worst. But, by his own words in this reported deposition, it seems they were anything but.

[grumpyoldman]

40 years later to dredge up something like this about an old man..................I dunno......

Where were these women in the 80's with this stuff?

Bury it, leave the old dude alone.

[Scott]

Nonsensical post removed.

[Traveler19491]

40 years later to dredge up something like this about an old man..................I dunno......

Where were these women in the 80's with this stuff?

Bury it, leave the old dude alone.

Soooo, it's safe for us to assume that you'd feel exactly the same if it was your daughter, your niece, your sister who this guy had drugged, poked, and molested all those years ago?

The fact is that "in the 80's" several of them went to the authorities but were ignored. If someone drugged and raped your daughter I do find it difficult to believe you'd be insisting that the "old dude" should be left alone.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Traveler19491

[p_brownstone]

As an aside, it was noted the other day that Trump has a higher negative rating than even Cosby!

Nonsense - or Link please.

Patrick

[Mudcrab]

40 years later to dredge up something like this about an old man..................I dunno......

Where were these women in the 80's with this stuff?

Bury it, leave the old dude alone.

Soooo, it's safe for us to assume that you'd feel exactly the same if it was your daughter, your niece, your sister who this guy had drugged, poked, and molested all those years ago?

The fact is that "in the 80's" several of them went to the authorities but were ignored. If someone drugged and raped your daughter I do find it difficult to believe you'd be insisting that the "old dude" should be left alone.

Thats what the Catholic Church has been hoping for, hopefully the paedophiles will die before being brought to justice.

But fortunately saner heads have prevailed and they are getting these bastards one by one.

Same with Cosby, Rolf Harris but not Jimmy Saville unfortunately.

Keep going after them same as Mossad does with the Nazis.