Bill Cosby is ‘legally blind,’ can no longer defend himself, say lawyers

[uawchild]

Source: The Star - Toronto, Canada

“Mr. Cosby cannot look at a photograph or any evidence and help his counsel or explain who those people are,” said defence attorney Angela Agrusa.

Bill Cosby’s eyesight has deteriorated to the point where he can no longer identify his accusers in photographs or otherwise help with his own defence, his lawyers said Wednesday as they waged a multipronged effort to get the sexual assault case against the 79-year-old comedian thrown out.

His attorneys also portrayed Cosby as political pawn who is being prosecuted only because a suburban Philadelphia district attorney used the public furor over the comic to get elected last year.

And they renewed their argument that Cosby’s lurid 2005 deposition from a related lawsuit should not be admitted at his trial, saying he answered questions under oath only after being assured he would not be charged with a crime.

Cosby leaned back in his chair as his lawyers made their case to a judge at the pretrial hearing.

Read more: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/11/02/bill-cosby-is-legally-blind-can-no-longer-defend-himself-say-lawyers.html

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BULLSHIT.

[Ken Burch]

1. Wait-blind people can't be charged with crimes?

Why does he NEED to be able to physically identify his accusers?

[awoke_in_2003]

22. Ray Charles...

was arrested with heroine. The "legally blind" argument would not have worked.

[Ken Burch]

27. From what I heard, it was a PLANE LOAD of heroin.

No wonder he was "Busted".

[SunSeeker]

2. Even if truly blind, how is his blindness grounds for dismissing the suit?

Blindness does not make you immune from prosecution.

[uawchild]

7. Face saving ploy perhaps?

Last edited Wed Nov 2, 2016, 06:54 PM - Edit history (1)

So he can say he didn't take the stand because he could not physically identify evidence and therefore could not testify about it?

I dunno.

Very very strange legal smoke and mirrors.

[jberryhill]

10. He doesn't need a reason not to take the stand

Most criminal defendants do not take the stand.

This is a competence challenge which isn't going to work.

[uawchild]

12. True

I know, really.

That's why I was wondering if it was some form of face saving ploy to protect his "legacy" in his mind. "I couldn't defend myself because of my failed eyesight..."

Because, as you point out, there is no way its going to fly as a competence challenge.

[jberryhill]

15. In his mind, he knows what he did

At the end of the day, the deposition testimony from the earlier case is what he swore to. He knows it is true. He knows everyone knows it is true. He was simply under the belief it would never see the light of day.

[Flatpicker]

38. His "legacy" is gone

I still find the whole thing sad.

I just wanted to believe he was what he portrayed himself to be.

Just once, I'd like one of our "legends" to be actually worthy of the acclaim.
Instead, he's just another terrible person who used his position to hurt others.

[LeftyMom]

31. He's 79. They just need to waste time with BS until he dies or dementia sets in.

[milestogo]

3. Good. Lock him in a room full of angry women and let them have at it.

[Chakab]

4. It'd be funny if he hadn't done so many hideous things to those women.

[Matthew Rose]

5. They're not throwing stones.

[Wilms]

8. Presumed innocence and all that...

...but he does seem MORALLY blind, anyways.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

11. I am likewise sorry he's lost his vision.

I wonder what from.

Two of my brothers are legally blind, complications of diabetes for one, and other long-standing vision issues for the other. And the third brother no longer drives at night because he can't see well enough.

So I'm familiar with such problems.

However, that does not alter what Cosby did. He still needs to be brought to justice.

[uawchild]

14. I never realized that

drugging and raping woman cause blindness.

Seriously, I, for one, just don't buy it -- I don't think he's actually legally blind.

But that's just my cynical nature talking.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

16. I actually am somewhat doubtful myself,

but I'm willing to go along with his being blind.

[awoke_in_2003]

23. He caught a case of...

"I need a BS dismissal-it is"

[onehandle]

13. He should hire Donald Trump to defend him.

Rapists of a feather...

[Buckeye_Democrat]

18. I better get busy raping, then, since I'll go blind later.

I would never rape anyone!

I'm not joking about the blindness, though. I have a rare genetic condition that causes early-onset macular degeneration. Although there's now treatment for the "wet" form of it, my retinologist says the RPE cells look terrible and the "dry" form will get me eventually.

[dhol82]

29. Sorry to hear about your problem.

Hope you have a really, really long time before your diagnosis manifests.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

34. Aw, thanks!

I'm legally blind in one eye already, but that happened before anti-VEGF treatments were available for the "wet" form which damages the photoreceptors faster. The other eye has been holding steady for a few years with the anti-VEGF injections, but the doctor won't give me a time frame for my supposed "fate" due to bad RPE cells.

[dhol82]

35. Let's hope it holds off as long as possible.

May you shuffle off long before the eye goes bad.
Mean that in a good way.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

37. Thanks again!

I took it the "good" way! Lol!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

19. In other news, Donald Trump showed up at a campaign rally wearing blackened glasses. nt

[Chicago1980]

20. Well, now I know what we've seen him with a cane and with his hand clasped

on the shoulder of someone in front of him.

Are there any Trump supporters defending him and calling the women liars?

[regnaD kciN]

26. Trump supporters defending him? Nah…

…after all, he's not white.

[Owl]

21. Such bullshit!

[progressoid]

24. Wow. That's quite a reach.

[chowder66]

25. Oops I thought you were my wife!

Rich excuse for future groping.

Oops I thought I put ice cubes in your drink.
Oops I thought I that was my pillow.
Oops.......

Holy Hell in a handbag.

[HassleCat]

28. What kind of blind?

Not so sure about legally. I might believe morally.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

36. Legal blindness usually means some vision is retained, but...

... it's so poor that the person is "effectively blind" even with corrective lenses. If bad eyesight can be corrected by lenses, it's not legal blindness.

One criteria for legal blindness is being unable to see "the big E" (which usually corresponds to 20/200 acuity) even with glasses.

Some people have excellent acuity, but their field of vision is so narrow (like looking through a straw) that they're considered legally blind too.

There's different vision conditions that meet the definition, but I don't know them all.

There's usually a wide gap between losing the ability to drive and legal blindness. Someone could lose their driver's license from bad eyesight but not be close to "legally blindness" to get government assistance, and that can be harder on people living in more rural settings without public transportation.

[Ruth Bonner]

30. I'm legally blind without glasses...

Which means that I wear one pair for up close and a different pair for distance and without them, forget it. I can read and type on my tablet it I keep it 4" from my nose.

I'd need more info before I understand what legally blind means for Cosby.

Denny Hastert went to jail and so should Bill. I used to really like Cosby.

[duffyduff]

32. Tell that to the women he drugged and assault/raped.

They couldn't defend themselves when he assaulted them.

[Blue Idaho]

33. Jesus Christ - it's not a boxing match...

Is this the best his legal council can come up with? If it is - Cosby is fucked - which when you think about it is pretty fitting...

[mwooldri]

39. They say if you wank too much you'll go blind...

Coincidence?