CNN Exclusive: Email may derail case against Bill Cosby

[cstanleytech]

Source: CNN

(CNN)A former district attorney in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, claims he agreed more than a decade ago that his office wouldn't use a civil deposition given by Bill Cosby in any criminal matters, an email obtained by CNN shows -- a revelation that could call into question the viability of the criminal case against the comedian.

The 2015 email -- sent by former District Attorney Bruce Castor to successor Risa Vetri Ferman -- details an apparent verbal agreement the prosecutor had a decade earlier with Cosby's attorneys for Cosby to testify in a civil sexual assault case brought against him in 2005. In the email, Castor writes that his intent in making the deal was to create an atmosphere in which Cosby accuser Andrea Constand would have the best chance of prevailing in her civil suit against the 78-year-old comedian by removing the prospect of Cosby invoking his 5th Amendment right.

The email was sent three months before criminal charges were filed against Cosby in Montgomery County in December, and could call into question the viability of the case, CNN has learned.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/15/us/bill-cosby-email-sexual-assault-charges-pennsylvania/index.html

[McCamy Taylor]

1. Why are prosecutors so anxious to prosecute Black men? This sounds like Barry Bonds all over

again. Manipulate the target into giving testimony and then zapping him with a charge based upon the testimony.

[oberliner]

2. Is this post meant sarcastically or in earnest?

I genuinely cannot tell.

If in earnest, do you Bill Cosby's race is a major factor here?

[forest444]

3. Not so much his race, as his fame

and of course his money.

Then again, having the means to retain top-notch lawyers usually makes all the difference in today's America.

[christx30]

4. Maybe it has something to do with the 50+ women that have

accused Bill Cosby of drugging and raping them? It's not like he's been accused of shoplifting. Roman Polanski is white, and he will never step foot onto US soil without being arrested and prosecuted.
Race isn't a factor here.

[JoeyT]

5. Why are people so anxious to defend rapists?

There's literally no other crime that brings "skeptics" out of the woodwork like rape. If there were a trail of dead bodies or burned houses, no one would be on his side. Leave a trail of crying women though, and you can count on having plenty of people to defend you.

[valerief]

6. Birds of feather, perhaps? nt

[treestar]

8. Innocent until proven guilty

Last edited Mon Jan 18, 2016, 10:14 AM - Edit history (1)

It is not proper to call him a rapist yet. He still has legal rights if an accused. If he didn't none of us would.

[TipTok]

21. I can call a rapist a rapist if I please...

The legal system doesn't come into it.

[zigby]

24. Oh that is some sick shit.

50 women's word against one man, and you're coming down on those of us who believe the women? We are not trying to case, we are not arguing against due process. Maybe you should question your knee-jerk defense, as it's damaging to the countless victims of sexual assault who will never get justice.

[cstanleytech]

9. Might try asking CNN that first followed by the authors for the article after that

you could move on to the prosecutor back then who made then deal and then on to the current one who in a rush might have torpedoed this entire case because they are trying to use something which apparently was only made with the agreement that it would not be used in a criminal case in the first place.

[awoke_in_2003]

12. I wish we had the ability

to recommend posts, because yours is spot on.

[JudyM]

17. +1000. Thank you. Nt

[valerief]

7. Barry Bonds raped dozens of women, too? nt

[Mizerio]

11. Your honor, thanks

For your verdict.

[cstanleytech]

10. I wouldnt know. I do know however that it doesnt look good for the current case if they had

this agreement according to this email and because of that Cosby might get to walk.

[Flying Squirrel]

15. Yet another person thinks the alert system is for posts they disagree with.

AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service
On Sun Jan 17, 2016, 05:14 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

Why are prosecutors so anxious to prosecute Black men? This sounds like Barry Bonds all over
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1316450

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

This is really offensive. Bill Cosby has been accused by scores of women, and while maybe not all may be telling the truth, all of them are not lying. To play the race card in a situation of somebody who is probably a serial rapist is extremely hurtful, not only to survivors but to all people.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sun Jan 17, 2016, 05:19 AM, and the Jury voted 3-4 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Fair question for discussion. Innocent until proven guilty also. And btw I am a rape victim.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: not about race - this is about violence

Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Silly, but leave and discuss (or not.)
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Before hearing the context, I saw nothing wrong with the post. So, now, after hearing the context (and believing Cosby to be guilty), I have to wonder why I should change my mind. So I vote to leave, for further discussion about racial bias in our justice system. It's not an offensive post in and of itself, it can be agreed with or disagreed with but is not hideworthy.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[LeftyMom]

16. That is the goofiest comparison I've heard in a while.

I can not fucking believe you're comparing misusing hormones and medications to be better at baseball with serial rape.

But while you're making the argument I'm going to point out (and in case my avatar isn't an obvious indicator, I have a pro-Bonds bias here) the big factor in singling out Bonds as the face of PEDs was that he's a spectacular, world-renowned asshole. He made a great heel.

Cosby, on the other hand, made a career out of respectability politics. His victims (unlike poisoning oneself, this is a crime with victims) had to fight an uphill battle against that reputation to get justice.

[Skittles]

19. you REALLY don't think Cosby is a sick pevert?

[TipTok]

20. I just... wow...

[daleo]

13. If not this case, then some other

There are just too many possibilities.

[davidpdx]

14. There doesn't appear to be much of a chance the case will go to trial

His victims should have their day in court, but the former prosecutor's promise seems to have fucked things up. It sounds like most of the other cases will be outside the statue of limitations meaning there will never be a day in court.

[lark]

18. So, once again, the rich and powerful win.

Justice for women who were raped isn't high on a lot of people's priority list, especially when the alleged rapist generally acts nice in front of the wider world. My heart goes out to all 55 of the women.

[davidpdx]

22. Yes, it does seem that way

I haven't heard when the hearing is about whether that testimony will be allowed. Maybe Monday?

[cstanleytech]

23. His being rich may have aided him in the past but currently the

the reason isn't because of his wealth but because the majority of the women sadly didn't come forward until well after the statute of limitations had run out.