Bill Cosby's publicist issued a strong statement after a judge declared the 79-year-old comedian's sexual assault trial a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a verdict despite 52 hours of deliberation.
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'Mr. Cosby's power is back': Cosby's publicist speaks out after judge declares a mistrial
"He has been restored."
"Mr. Cosby's power is back. It's back. He has been restored," Andrew Wyatt, Cosby's publicist said as he left the courthouse with Cosby.
Cosby stands charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault after he was accused of giving drugs to and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand more than a decade ago. Constand first filed a civil claim against Cosby in 2005.
Cosby has denied Constand's allegations of assault, saying that they engaged in a consensual sexual relationship. Constand pushed back against Cosby's claim and told police, "We were not involved in any romantic relationship." In total, Cosby has been accused of sexual misconduct by nearly 60 women.
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On the fourth day of deliberation, jurors informed Judge Steven O'Neill that they could not reach a unanimous decision. O'Neill instructed them to keep working, but they came back on Saturday and said they were "hopelessly deadlocked." O'Neill then declared a mistrial.
"The jurors used their power to speak, and Mr. Cosby's power is back," Wyatt said after leaving the courthouse. "He has been restored, and for all those attorneys who conspired — like Gloria Allred — tell them to go back to law school and take another class," Wyatt said.
Allred is representing a number of other Cosby accusers. One of her clients, Kelly Johnson, appeared as a witness for the prosecution in Cosby's trial. In response to the mistrial, Allred said, "We can never underestimate the blinding power of celebrity."
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