5 Accusers Can Testify In Cosby Retrial, Judge Says
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Bill Cosby suffers a legal setback ahead of his sexual assault retrial next month. The judge in the case has now agreed to let five additional accusers testify.
According to the judge's order, prosecutors can choose five of eight women who claim the incidents happened between 1982 to 1996. That includes the one woman who testified at Bill Cosby's first trial.
Prosecutors argued last week that the women's testimony is evidence of Cosby's prior bad acts.
James Lyons has been in criminal law for 30 years starting as a prosecutor:
"Any time you have witnesses testifying in front of a jury as to prior bad it's not ideal for the defense," said James Lyons, who has been in criminal law for 30 years after starting as a prosecutor.
One other accuser was allowed to testify at Cosby's initial trial, which ended with a hung jury.
"You're going to have five different women testifying about things that happened over a long period of time. There are ways to attack that and counter that, but it presents a challenge for the defense, for sure," said Lyons.
The 80-year-old entertainer is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004.
Cosby denies any wrongdoing.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin on March 29. His trial is set to begin on April 2.
