Bill Cosby Retrial: Defense Grills Accuser Andrea Constand About Her Story's Inconsistencies
Andre Constand took the witness stand on the fifth day of Bill Cosby's retrial on Friday, where the defense battered her with questions meant to highlight the inconsistencies in her statements.
For Justice
Constand told the jurors that she wants justice for the sexual assault she experienced in the hands of the comedian in 2004. In her testimony, she recalled the harrowing experience and said that Cosby drugged and molested her at his suburban Philadelphia home.
Constand said the actor gave her a drug said to be for her allergies, but it was only when she felt groggy that she knew something was wrong. The former Temple University basketball player said that the drug paralyzed her so she was not able to stop the assault. The accuser's testimony matched the previous statement she gave in the first trial.
Inconsistent Statements
However, the defense team barraged her with questions meant to discredit her reputation. Before Constand took the witness stand, Cosby's publicist Andrew Wyatt informed the court that they will be tackling the inconsistencies in the accuser's statements.
"Our new defense team has had the opportunity to thoroughly research her testimony and statements from last year, and will point to even more inconsistencies," Wyatt said.
Cosby's lawyer Tom Mesereau then cross-examined Constand with questions meant to discredit her testimony. He pointed out the inconsistencies between her previous statements and from what she told jurors on the stand on Friday.
During the retrial, Mesereau denied having an intimate relationship with Cosby prior to the assault and denied having worn the Cashmere sweater he had given her. However, she answered yes to both in her 2006 deposition against the comedian.
Constand also denied having gone to a Chinese restaurant after the assault to confront Cosby. Hours earlier, she had testified about it to the prosecution. Mesereau also brought up a discussion during the first trial about Constand telling one police agency that the attack happened in January, but then told another that it was in March.
Overall, the defense tried their best to portray Constand as a "gold digger" who targeted Cosby for his money. Mesereau brought up the accuser's alleged involvement with a pyramid scheme and the $3.38 million settlement she received in her 2006 civil suit against Cosby.
Constand was on the witness stand for five hours on Friday's retrial. She will return to testify against Cosby on April 16, where she will undergo under round of cross-examination by Mesereau.
