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The jurors in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial were close to reaching a verdict on Friday. However, they still had some uncertainties on how to resolve some lingering concerns in coming to a verdict. This caused the judge to dismiss them until Monday. They will resume deliberations at that time.
Prior to the second day of deliberations coming to an end, Judge Craig D. Karlan said the jury had resolved a majority of the questions they were instructed to vote on. Including if the sexual assault happened at the Playboy Mansion. They also came to an agreement on if Huth deserves any damages.
One of the questions is whether Cosby, age 84, pays punitive damages to Judy Huth, age 64, who alleges that she was molested by Cosby in 1975 when she was 16. The claimed incident took place at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. The trial is taking place in Santa Monica, California.
Complications of the Cosby Trial
One of the factors complicating the matter is that one of the 12 jurors had to be excused after two days of deliberation. An alternate will take the place of the juror on the panel starting Monday. With this, the jury will have to reconsider a majority of the concerns.
“Unfortunately, you will have to start from scratch,” Judge Karlan explained.
It is unclear if having a new juror will have a large effect on deliberations as only nine of the 12 jurors have to agree on the verdict. It does not have to be unanimous.
Cosby has denied having any encounters sexually with Huth. Also, he has not appeared in the trial and has not testified after invoking the Fifth Amendment right. However, jurors heard him say in a video deposition that he does not remember meeting Huth.
Evidence Against Cosby
A friend of Huth’s submitted two photographs of Cosby and Huth at the mansion together. Also, the images have been entered into evidence.
Jurors were given a verdict sheet on Thursday. It consists of nine questions to be answered to help a verdict be reached as well as decide on damages.
The jury also asked for clarification from the judge on some of the questions. One of the questions was in relating to whether or not Cosby was “motivated by an unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in Ms. Huth, a minor.”
Huth and Samuelson’s Testimonies
During the 10-day trial, jurors heard Huth’s testimony that she and her friend, Donna Samuelson, met Cosby in 1975. They all met at a San Marion, California park. At that time, Cosby was filming “Let’s Do It Again.”
Huth and Samuelson testified that they were invited to a tennis club by Cosby. Then, he offered to house them where he was living. They also testified that they were given alcohol prior to Cosby having them follow him to the Mansion in their vehicle.
Huth also described in her testimony how in one of the mansion bedrooms, Cosby had made her perform a sexual act on him with force. Lawyers representing Cosby described the testimony of Huth as “a complete and utter fabrication.”
Written by Marrissa Kay
Sources:
The New York Times: The Jury in the Bill Cosby Sex Assault Case Says It’s Close to a Verdict; by Graham Bowley, Lauren Herstik, and Catherine Garcia
CBS News: Bill Cosby civil trial jury must start deliberations over on Monday
Daily News: Jurors in Bill Cosby’s civil trial must restart deliberations; by Jessica Schladebeck
Featured and Top Images Courtesy of Eric Allix Rogers’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Pixelhouse’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License