Bill Cosby’s day of reckoning comes in sex assault case

NORRISTOWN: Bill Cosby faces a good chance of being sent to prison on Tuesday when a judge is expected to sentence the TV star who was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman.

1980s-era "Cosby Show," faces anything from probation to 10 years in prison for drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, a Temple University basketball administrator, at his estate near Philadelphia.

One of the beloved actor and comedian, dubbed "America's Dad" for his role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on the top-ranked,

Constand went to police a year later, only to have a prosecutor turn down the case.

Prosecutors near Philadelphia want a judge to sentence the 81-year-old to five to 10 years in prison. They say he has no remorse and is capable of reoffending.

The defence argues that he's old, frail and legally blind, and should be sent home on house arrest.

Cosby, 81, will have the opportunity to speak in court before he is sentenced.

Since Constand first went to police in 2005, more than 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, though none of those claims have led to criminal charges.

"The victims cannot be un-raped. Unfortunately, all we can do is hold the perpetrator accountable," said Gianna Constand, the trial victim's mother, who testified Monday that her daughter's buoyant personality was forever changed after the attack.

The hearing is set to conclude Tuesday after testimony from a defense psychologist who believes Cosby is no longer a danger, given his age, and should not be branded a “sexually violent predator.”

Defense lawyer Joseph Green Jr. urged the judge ignore the protests and activism surrounding the case, and send Cosby home on house arrest.

Being labeled a sexually violent predator would make him subject to mandatory lifetime counseling and community notification of his whereabouts.

On Monday, Kristen Dudley, a psychologist for the state of Pennsylvania, testified that Cosby fits the criteria for a sexually violent predator, showing signs of a mental disorder that involves an uncontrollable urge to have non-consensual sex with young women.

Cosby, he said, has shown repeatedly that he feels no remorse over his actions. And he said the sentence should send a message to others.

After testifying for several hours at two trials, the first of which ended in a hung jury, Constand spoke in court Monday for just two minutes.

“The jury heard me. Cosby heard me. Now all I am asking for is justice as the court sees fit,” said Andrea Constand, who submitted a much longer victim-impact statement that wasn’t read in court.

Cosby’s side didn’t call any character witnesses, and his wife of 54 years, Camille, was not in court.

Cosby became the first black actor to star in a prime-time TV show, “I Spy,” in 1965. He remained a Hollywood A-lister for much of the next half-century.