Bill Cosby’s Lawyer Monique Pressley Resigns

Monique Pressley, Bill Cosby

Monique Pressley will no longer represent Bill Cosby. The information was confirmed in recent court filings and confirmed by Cosby’s spokesperson. The Washington D.C. based attorney will no longer be on the comedian’s team. This news, comes after his main attorney Christopher Tayback left a few months ago. Pressley has yet to comment on her departure.

As previously reported, Cosby has been the subject of publicized sexual assault allegations. With the earliest alleged incidents allegedly taking place in the mid-1960s, Cosby has been accused by more than 50 women of either rape, drug facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, child sexual abuse, and/or sexual misconduct. Earlier sexual assault allegations against Cosby became more public after an October 2014 accusation as part of an onstage performance by comedian Hannibal Buress went viral, and many additional claims were made after that date. The dates of the alleged incidents span from 1965 to 2008 across 10 U.S. states and one Canadian province.

Cosby has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and had not been charged with a crime prior to December 30, 2015, when a warrant was issued for his arrest for a felony sexual assault charge brought by Pennsylvania prosecutors based on accusations by Andrea Constand.

Bill Cosby

Most of the acts alleged fall outside the statutes of limitations for criminal legal proceedings, but numerous civil lawsuits have been brought against Cosby. As of November 2015, eight related civil lawsuits are active against Cosby, including two that also target Cosby’s lawyer and one that also implicates his wife and manager Camille Cosby. In a December 11, 2015 interview, Gloria Allred said that she is representing 29 of the alleged victims. Allred also said that there are more alleged victims who have contacted her and that some of those that had contacted her would be coming forward. In July 2015, court records from Andrea Constand’s 2005 civil lawsuit against Cosby were unsealed and released to the public. In his testimony, Cosby admitted to casual sex, involving use of Quaaludes, with a series of young women, including an admission that his use of drugs in the 1970s was illegal.

In the wake of the allegations, numerous organizations have severed ties with the comedian, and previously awarded honors and titles have been revoked. Reruns of The Cosby Show and other shows featuring Cosby have also been pulled from syndication by many organizations. More than a dozen colleges and universities have rescinded his honorary degrees.

Bill Cosby (circa 2014)

On December 30, 2015, Cosby was charged with sexual assault in Pennsylvania and a warrant for his arrest was issued. Cosby reported to court and was arraigned on the charge. On May 24, 2016, a Pennsylvania judge ruled that there was enough evidence for the case to go to trial. Cosby will remain free on $1 million bail until his trial. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years; the sentences could be served either concurrently or consecutively as determined by a sentencing judge, if Cosby is convicted.

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