Bill Cosby has revealed he doesn’t plan to testify on his own behalf when he goes on trial next month on sexual assault charges.
During a new radio interview with SiriusXM radio host Michael Smerconish, Cosby, 79, credited his legal team for his defense and stated that his decision not to testify leaves the case in their hands.
“Yes, I do have lawyers to protect me,” he said. “But I just don’t want to sit there and have to figure out what I believe is a truthful answer to whether or not I’m opening a can of something that my lawyers are scrambling.”
The 30-minute interview comes shortly after his youngest daughter, Evin, penned an online essay in support of her father.
On Monday, May 15, Cosby used Twitter to express his love and admiration for his family.
I love you Camille, Erika, Erinn, Ensa & Evin – keep fighting in Spirit Ennis
— Bill Cosby (@BillCosby) May 15, 2017
Meanwhile, in his latest interview, Cosby indicated that his attorneys forbade him to discuss the case or additional similar allegations raised by more than 50 women that he has repeatedly denied. As previously reported, the comedian is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault — for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in January 2004 at his home in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Though he didn’t discuss the charges, he did voice his desire to connect with listeners who have continued to stand by him as he heads to trial on June 5.
“I decided that I think it’s time for me to do something so that the people who still have faith in me, the people who are still wondering what I sound like as opposed to The National Enquirer, which is very interesting reading when they write about me,” he said on Sirius.
He also touched on the challenge he faces in shifting people’s perceptions toward him moving forward, despite the outcome of the case. “If a jury says so forth and so on, there’s still public opinion,” Cosby said. “And if the jury comes for the other side of the so forth and so on, it’s still public opinion. So I think it’s something that you never will be able to satisfy all minds and all behaviors.”
He added: “I know the side that I’m on and the side that I’m hoping for.” As for whether he’s lost the support of his wife, Camille, he said, “Never, never.”
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