Bill Cosby ordered to stand trial in sex assault case

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US actor Bill Cosby has been ordered to stand trial on sexual assault charges.

The ruling comes after a hearing that hinged on a decade-old police report in which a woman said the comedian gave her three blue pills that put her in a stupor, and meant she was unable to stop his advances.

Bill Cosby walks into court. [Photo / CRI]

The District Judge said prosecutors had sufficient evidence to bring Cosby to trial, setting his arraignment for July 20, at which time the TV star will enter a plea and a trial date will be set.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele says he is confident in getting a trial date.

"We just conducted our preliminary hearing. All charges were held. We're here because we want to seek the truth. We are here to serve justice. The evidence in this case that was presented at the preliminary hearing is of a limited basis, a preliminary hearing is a situation where we only have to show that a crime has been committed and that the defendant is connected to the crime. We did that through the victim's statement and the defendant's admissions to much of the crime. Consequently, we are going to move forward on the case and look forward to getting a trial date."

Cosby faces three counts of felony indecent assault from a 2004 case involving Andrea Constand, an employee at his alma mater, Temple University.

She is the first of more than 50 women who have accused the comedian of sexual misconduct, which Cosby has claimed was consensual sexual activity.

Constand was not present at the hearing, and the judge ruled that she would not have to testify. Her statements to police were read into the record.

The case was reopened by prosecutors last year after dozens of women leveled similar allegations and after Cosby's sealed deposition in the Constand's lawsuit was made public.

He settled her lawsuit for an undisclosed sum in 2006 after testifying about his extramarital affairs, his use of drugs to seduce women and his efforts to hide payments to former lovers from his wife.

Cosby has not entered a plea since his December 30 arrest. He is currently free on bail of 1 million US dollars.

If convicted, Cosby could face up to 30 years in prison.

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