The latest high-profile sex crime case that captured national attention has now ended. The criminal case involving longtime comedian Bill Cosby has ended in a mistrial. The ruling leaves him without an acquittal and potentially sets the stage for prosecutors to try the case once again.
According to a CNN.com report, a Pennsylvania judge determined that the jury was hopelessly deadlocked on whether Cosby was guilty of aggravated indecent assault stemming from an alleged encounter with a University of Pennsylvania employee in 2004. Cosby is known as one of America’s most recognized entertainers, with a great deal of his fame coming in the 1970’s and 1980’s with a number of film and television credits to his name, including the iconic “The Cosby Show.”
However, after dozens of women came forward over the past two years accusing Cosby of sexual misconduct in the past, a criminal action was eventually initiated in Pennsylvania. Cosby’s legal team initially cried foul given that the previous district attorney declined to bring charges, and that the newest prosecutor only brought the case to satisfy political ambitions.
The case did not involve any forensic evidence; only accusations and testimony from 12 witnesses for the prosecution, including the alleged victim. Cosby did not testify in his own defense, and his defense team only called one witness. The jury, comprised of four white men, six white women, one black man and one black woman, deliberated for more than 50 hours before the judge determined that they could not come to a unanimous decision.
The case exemplifies the need for an experienced criminal defense attorney for those accused of sex crimes.