Bill Cosby Charged With Aggravated Indecent Assault
(ABC News) –Famed comedian Bill Cosby was charged with alleged aggravated indecent assault today, authorities said.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced its decision this morning in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
Cosby, who has always maintained his innocence, is being charged in relation to the 2004 Andrea Constand case, which reaches the statute of limitations next month. In that lawsuit, which was eventually settled out of court, Constand accused the comedian of sexual assault when she worked at Temple University.
First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele said this morning, “We are here to announce today charges that have just been filed against William Henry Cosby.”
Steele, who said the count was a first-degree felony, added Cosby is expected to be arraigned later this afternoon.
“At this point, we are not looking at other charges,” Steele said, adding that new evidence supporting the charge came to light earlier this summer.
“We examined all the evidence and we made this determination because it was the right thing to do,” he continued.
An attorney for Constand said in a statement about the charges, “We have the utmost confidence in Mr. Steele, Ms. Feden and their team, who have impressed us with their professionalism. In that this matter is now being pursued in the criminal justice system, we will not comment further.”
A request for comment from Cosby’s representatives was not immediately returned to ABC News.
