Hours after Bill Cosby was charged with second-degree felony of aggravated indecent assault on Wednesday, December 30, the Cosby Show star arrived at the courthouse in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, for his arraignment.
The 78-year-old comedian wore a gray sweater and held a cane, and seemed to require assistance to get into the courthouse. The sitcom star did not enter a plea, and his bail was set for $1 million. Cosby was freed after posting bail, according to NBC News.
A preliminary hearing has been set for January 14, 2016, and Cosby turned over his passport to the authorities.
This newly reopened case stemmed from an incident in 2004, in which Andrea Constand, a Temple University employee at the time, claimed that Cosby took her back to his home in Philadelphia, where he allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted her.
The Montgomery County first assistant district attorney Kevin Steele addressed the press on Wednesday morning, saying they will be seeking “justice on behalf of the victim.”
“Reopening the case was not a question; rather, reopening this case was our duty,” Steele said.
The case was originally rejected in 2005, but has since been reopened after damaging testimony was unsealed in a related civil suit, involving dozens of other women who had accused Cosby of sexual misconduct.
Since comedian Hannibal Buress’ stand-up in October 2014, in which he called Cosby a “rapist,” dozens of women have come forward, accusing him of drugging and assaulting them.
Prior to these new charges, Cosby had filed a defamation suit against seven of the women who made claims against him.
