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 NORRISTOWN, Pa. — As Bill Cosby's sexual assault trial opened Monday, there was a reminder of his former reputation as "America's Dad" — the actress who played his youngest daughter on TV. 
 
 Keshia Knight Pulliam, 38, who played Rudy Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," accompanied the comedian into the Montgomery County courthouse, where he stands accused of drugging and molesting a woman at his home in 2004. 
 
 Bill Cosby arrives for the first day of his sexual assault trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania on June 5, 2017. Brendan McDermid / Reuters 
 
 Neither Cosby nor Pulliam spoke as they entered. 
 
 Gloria Allred, the attorney who represents some of the dozens of women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, called it an "historic day." 
 
 "It's the first time Mr. Cosby will have to face his accusers in criminal court," Allred said. 
 
 A handful of those women traveled to be at the green-domed courthouse in small-town Pennsylvania. 
 
 "I haven't seen him since 1969," said Victoria Valentino, 74, who says Cosby drugged and raped her in Los Angeles nearly five decades ago. 
 
 "I hope he makes eye contact because I'd love to look him in the eye and stare him down." 
 
 Related: 'No Fear': Andrea Constand Ready to Confront Cosby at Trial 
 
 Cosby, 79, is on trial for allegedly assaulting just one woman, Andrea Constand, who worked for his alma mater, Temple University. 
 
 She claims that after two years of friendship and mentorship, the star turned predator, giving her pills that incapacitated her and then molesting her while she lay "paralyzed." 
 
 Cosby has portrayed the encounter as consensual, saying he gave Constand two Benadryl pills to help her relax. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated indecent assault, denied all other allegations and sued some of his accusers for defamation. 
 
 The "I Spy" actor, who says glaucoma has left him legally blind, does not intend to take the stand. Constand, who settled a lawsuit against Cosby in 2006, will testify. Other potential witnesses include: 
 
 Prior Alleged Victim No. 6: Also known by the pseudonym Kacey, she is the only one of the other accusers who can testify. A former assistant to Cosby's late agent, she alleges that in 1996, after Cosby insisted she take a pill, she woke up in bed with the half-naked entertainer. 
 
 An unnamed William Morris Agency employee who the defense contends can contradict Kacey's account of her interaction with Cosby. 
 
 A psychologist who will discuss the behavior of sex-abuse victims. Prosecutors may use her testimony to try to explain why Constand waited a year to report the alleged assault to police. 
 
 Pharmaceutical experts who will testify about the effects of Benadryl and Quaaludes, the latter of which Cosby has admitted he gave to women for sex in the 1970s. 
 
 Although the jury was chosen in the Pittsburgh area, the trial is taking place in Montgomery County in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown. 
 
 Barricades ringed the columned courthouse on Sunday night in anticipation of big crowds, but as of 7 a.m., there were only a few spectators lined up to get in. 
 
 Bill Parker, 43, who owns a donut shop said the he thought the trial "would be an incredible event to witness." 
 
 "He has been an idol to us," Parker said. "To hear the accusations was quite a shocker." 
 
 Parker said he was "trying to remain neutral" on the question of whether Cosby attacked Constand. "But I'm already disappointed he confessed to extramarital affairs," he said. "It doesn't connect with the man we thought he was." 
 
 Other local residents said they had not paid much attention to the legal drama that had played out at the courthouse over the last year. 
 
 "I don't know what's happening," said one 15-year-old walking by the stately building. "Who is Bill Cosby?" ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. 
 
 NORRISTOWN, Pa. — Bill Cosby's sexual assault trial is in its fourth day, but his wife of more than 50 years has yet to make an appearance. 
 
 Instead, a parade of the comedian's showbiz friends have showed up to show support, though it hasn't been an A-list gallery. 
 
 Here's who made the trip to the Montgomery County Courthouse: 
 
 Day 1: Keshia Knight Pulliam, the actress who played Cosby's youngest daughter, Rudy Huxtable, on "The Cosby Show," escorted him into the courtroom for the start of the two-week trial. She said she was just being a good friend and did not take the charges lightly. 
 
 "This is where you hear the facts. This is where the truth happens," she said. "Right now, it's the jury's decision and it's the jury's job to decide guilt and innocence." 
 
 Day 2: A cluster of older men, some of whom played ball with him at Temple University in the 1960s, sat together on a spectator bench and chatted with Cosby at breaks. They declined interviews. 
 
 Day 3: Actress Sheila Frazier, best known for her star turn in the 1970s movie "Super Fly," arrived with her husband John Atchison, a celebrity hair stylist. Frazier co-starred with Cosby in the 1978 comedy, "California Suite." 
 
 "What am I here to do is support Mr. Cosby," Frazier said after court. Atchison added that they were "not here to say somebody is innocent or guilty." 
 
 Actor and comedian Bill Cosby leaves with Sheila Frazier, John Atchison and publicist Andrew Wyatt after the third day of Cosby's sexual assault trial. Brendan McDermid / Reuters 
 
 Also there was Mary Frances Berry, a legal historian and the former chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, who said Cosby deserved due process. "The man that I know, he's good," she said. 
 
 Berry said it was not a surprise that Cosby, who claims racism may have fueled the scandal, was not getting more public support from the black community — citing a 2004 speech in which he scolded young and poor African-Americans, critiquing their speech, clothing and parenting. 
 
 "People in the civil rights movement are still annoyed with Bill for some of the comments Bill made baout the responsibiity of the community as opposed to enforcement," Berry said. "I happen to disagree about that, too, but for me, it's beside the point." 
 
 Day 4: Comic actors Joe Torry and comedian Lewis Dix accompanied Cosby into court on Thursday. 
 
 Actor and comedian Bill Cosby arrives at court with Joe Torry, Lewis Dix and spokesman Andrew Wyatt. Brendan McDermid / Reuters 
 
 Cosby's spokesman has said the defense could also count on Phylicia Rashad, who played his wife on "The Cosby Show," to show up if needed. 
 
 Camille Cosby, 73, was also expected to be in the courtroom at some point. It was not clear if the defense decided she should not be there while two Cosby's accusers were on the stand, describing how he allegedly drugged and then molested them. 
 
 "I can think of no good strategic reason why Cosby's family would not be present in the courtroom throughout the trial," said Dennis McAndrews, a law instructor and former prosecutor who has been attending the trial. 
 
 "I also do not think that the jurors in this case will be swayed by the presence of individuals other than his family. In my experience, jurors are usually conscientious about setting aside outside influences such as celebrities who are present in the defendant's corner." 
 
 He said that I suspect that Cosby will be unable to present positive character or reputation evidence, since such evidence would open the door for the prosecution to present negative character or reputation evidence which now exists because of the other women who have accused him of misconduct." 
 
 Wes Oliver, director of the criminal justice program at Duquesne University, said it's "questionable" whether spousal support would make a difference to the jury. And he noted that some jurors probably wouldn't recognize the other members of the Cosby support brigade. 
 
 "These things seem to be more about the trial in the public than the trial in the courtroom," Oliver said. ||||| Bill Cosby, center, leaves hearings for jury selection in his sexual assault retrial with spokesperson Andrew Wyatt, second right, Thursday, April 5, 2018, at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown,... (Associated Press) 
 
 Bill Cosby, center, leaves hearings for jury selection in his sexual assault retrial with spokesperson Andrew Wyatt, second right, Thursday, April 5, 2018, at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa. (AP Photo/Mel Evans) (Associated Press) 
 
 Bill Cosby, center, leaves hearings for jury selection in his sexual assault retrial with spokesperson Andrew Wyatt, second right, Thursday, April 5, 2018, at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa. (AP Photo/Mel Evans) (Associated Press) Bill Cosby, center, leaves hearings for jury selection in his sexual assault retrial with spokesperson Andrew Wyatt, second right, Thursday, April 5, 2018, at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown,... (Associated Press) 
 
 NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A topless protester with "Women's Lives Matter" written on her body in red ink charged at Bill Cosby as he walked into a suburban Philadelphia courthouse Monday for the start of his sexual assault retrial. 
 
 The woman jumped over a barricade and launched toward Cosby but was intercepted by sheriff's deputies. She was taken into custody and led away in handcuffs. 
 
 Cosby seemed startled by the commotion as protesters chanted at him, but was not touched and is uninjured. 
 
 The unidentified woman was among about a half dozen people chanting in support of Cosby's accuser. She had "Women's Lives Matter" written in red ink on her chest and stomach along with other phrases in black and red all over her body. 
 
 Opening arguments are scheduled to begin Monday morning and prosecutors have lined up a parade of accusers to make the case that the man revered as "America's Dad" lived a double life as one of Hollywood's biggest predators. 
 
 Cosby's retrial likely won't be anything like his first one. He's fighting back with a new, high-profile lawyer and an aggressive strategy: attacking Andrea Constand as a greedy liar and casting the other women testifying as bandwagon accusers looking for a share of the spotlight. 
 
 "You've seen previews and coming attractions, but things have changed," said professor Laurie Levenson of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. 
 
 Cosby's first trial last spring ended in a cliffhanger, with jurors unable to reach a unanimous verdict after five days of tense deliberations on charges that the man who made millions of viewers laugh as wise and understanding Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" drugged and molested Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. 
 
 The 80-year-old comedian, who has said the sexual contact was consensual, faces three counts of aggravated indecent assault, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday in a suburban Philadelphia courtroom. 
 
 His retrial is taking place in a radically changed and potentially more hostile environment. The #MeToo movement caught fire four months after the first trial, raising awareness of sexual misconduct as it toppled Harvey Weinstein, Sen. Al Franken, Matt Lauer and other powerful men. 
 
 Nearly every potential juror questioned for the case this time knew about #MeToo. 
 
 Kristen Houser of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center said that could help prosecutors overcome the skepticism some jurors had last time about Constand's yearlong wait to report her allegations to the police. 
 
 "The #MeToo movement is amplifying what experts have been saying for decades: People are ashamed, they're confused, they can't believe somebody they trust would hurt them, and then they worry that others won't believe them," Houser said. 
 
 After limiting the focus of the first trial, Judge Steven O'Neill has been willing to let both sides push the retrial well beyond Constand's allegations. 
 
 This time, O'Neill is letting prosecutors have five additional accusers testify — including model Janice Dickinson — as they attempt to show Cosby made a habit of drugging and violating women. The judge allowed just one other accuser to take the stand last time. 
 
 "This one will be harder for the defense," Levenson said. This time, Constand "is not alone, and there is strength in numbers." 
 
 In another difference, the judge this time is letting Cosby's legal team call as a witness a former co-worker of Constand's at Temple University who said Constand spoke of setting up a "high-profile person" so she could sue and enjoy a big payday. Constand's lawyer has said the co-worker is lying. 
 
 The judge also decided the jury can hear the answer to one of the biggest questions hanging over the case: How much did Cosby pay Constand to settle her lawsuit against him more than a decade ago? The two sides agreed at the first trial not to mention the lawsuit. 
 
 Cosby lawyer Tom Mesereau, who won an acquittal in Michael Jackson's 2005 child molestation case, said the jury will learn "just how greedy" Constand was. 
 
 In a twist, the judge hinted that he might not allow jurors to hear Cosby's lurid deposition testimony about giving quaaludes to women before sex. He said he would rule on it during the trial. Cosby testified in 2005 and 2006 as part of Constand's lawsuit. 
 
 Cosby did not take the stand at the first trial and is unlikely to do so this time. 
 
 Opening statements could be delayed while O'Neill sorts out allegations raised late Friday that a juror was heard saying he thought Cosby was guilty. Cosby's lawyers want the man questioned and removed from the case. They also want other jurors questioned to see if they were influenced by the man's alleged comment. Before being picked, all jurors swear under oath that they would be fair and impartial. 
 
 The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand and Dickinson have done. 
 
 Over the past few years, about 60 women have come forward with allegations against Cosby dating to the 1960s. Netflix shelved his comedy special, NBC scrapped plans for a new sitcom, and reruns of "The Cosby Show" were pulled from the air. 
 
 Cosby has performed only once since ending a tour amid hecklers and protests in May 2015. He joked at a surprise Philadelphia jazz club appearance in January that he "used to be a comedian." 
 
 Even if Cosby is acquitted, he will never win back his reputation, crisis communications expert David La Torre said. 
 
 "In some cases, being tried in the court of public opinion is far more damaging than the court of law," La Torre said. "That's certainly the case here." 
 
 ___ 
 
 Follow Mike Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak 
 
 ___ 
 
 For more coverage visit apnews.com/tag/CosbyonTrial ||||| (CNN) Bill Cosby has been accused by more than 50 women of sexual assault -- and the sheer weight of that number has led to crushing condemnation in the court of public opinion. 
 
 But when he faces a court of law Monday, Cosby's fate will hang on testimony from just two of his accusers. "There is a big contrast," said James Cohen, a criminal law professor at Fordham. 
 
 "What Cosby is hoping for is that the jury forgets about the other 48." 
 
 Cosby, 79, faces three counts of aggravated indecent assault for allegedlydrugging and assaulting Andrea Constand, a Temple University employee, in 2004. He has denied the accusations since 2005, when Constand first went to the police. 
 
 The district attorney at that time declined to press charges -- and in 2006 Cosby settled a civil suit with Constand that remained sealed for almost a decade. 
 
 'Google Bill Cosby rape' 
 
 Bill Cosby arrives at the Montgomery County courthouse in November. 
 
 The legal landscape began to change unexpectedly for Cosby in October 2014, when video of a routine by comedian Hannibal Buress went viral. The performance focused sharply on Cosby and the allegations against him. 
 
 "When you leave here, google 'Bill Cosby rape,'" the comedian told an audience at a comedy club in Cosby's hometown of Philadelphia. 
 
 "It's not funny. That s*** has more results than 'Hannibal Buress.'" 
 
 In the months that followed, dozens of women came forward with more claims against Cosby. Many told similar stories ; they said Cosby had drugged and then assaulted them. 
 
 In a statement to CNN in November 2014 Cosby's attorney, Martin D. Singer, denied what he called "unsubstantiated, fantastical stories," which were becoming "increasingly ridiculous." 
 
 The growing number of accusers and heightened public interest in the case would be instrumental in a judge's subsequent decision to unseal Cosby's deposition in Constand's civil suit. 
 
 Cosby's public persona also played a part in that ruling . Even as the number of accusations against him rose, Cosby had continued to make statements about what he saw as the flaws and failings of many African-American families. As a much-loved family entertainer and "America's dad," he chose to cast himself as a conservative role model and moral compass for that community. 
 
 That will be on full display when Cosby walks into court: He'll be escorted into the courthouse by Keisha Knight Pulliam, who played his daughter, Rudy Huxtable, on "The Cosby Show," according to Andrew Wyatt, Cosby's media representative. 
 
 In explaining his decision to unseal the deposition, US District Judge Eduardo Robreno cited the "stark contrast" between "Bill Cosby, the public moralist," and "Bill Cosby, the subject of serious allegations." 
 
 In the deposition, Cosby said he had engaged in consensual sexual activity with Constand -- and that he had obtained Quaaludes in order to give them to women with whom he wanted to have sex. The unsealed deposition was central to Cosby's arrest in December 2015. 
 
 Cosby has no plans to testify 
 
 Bill Cosby solidified his stardom as Dr. Cliff Huxtable in "The Cosby Show." 
 
 Despite the volume of compelling accounts from dozens of accusers, only Constand's story will be the focus of the upcoming trial. 
 
 The jury will hear testimony from just one other accuser at trial as prosecutors seek to establish that Cosby's alleged actions toward Constand were part of a pattern of behavior. Prosecutors had sought to include testimony from 13 other accusers, but Judge Steven O'Neill ruled that would be too prejudicial. 
 
 Cosby has said he does not plan to testify. His deposition from the civil suit will stand as his explanation of what happened -- which means the trial likely will hinge on a classic case of "he said, she said." 
 
 "It's going to be basically two people in the room and they're going to have very different versions of the event," said Barry Coburn, a defense lawyer based in Washington. 
 
 "And the jury is going to have to decide." 
 
 Cosby's rise to fame 
 
 Bill Cosby adjusts his bow tie in a promotional portrait from 1969. 
 
 It would be hard to overstate Cosby's impact on the entertainment industry and popular culture in America. 
 
 The Philadelphia native enjoyed a steady rise to extraordinary, global fame. By the early 60s he had achieved widespread recognition as a standup comedian and Grammy winning recording artist. He was the first black actor to co-star in a leading dramatic role on US TV -- in the espionage series "I Spy." 
 
 In 1966, he won an Emmy for that role -- another first for an African-American performer. He starred in movies opposite Sidney Poitier and in the 70s developed the animated "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" series for TV. 
 
 In the 1980s, he reached another generation of fans by turning the lives of the Huxtables, a black, middle-class New York family, into a beloved and groundbreaking sitcom. Over the course of multiple award-winning seasons of "The Cosby Show," he starred as sweater-loving father figure Dr. Cliff Huxtable. The role cemented his place among the most prominent of celebrities. 
 
 Cosby's serial successes translated into extraordinary fame and considerable influence -- and he relished the opportunity to use his lofty status as a platform to make public pronouncements about social responsibility and parenting. 
 
 In 2004, at an NAACP event commemorating the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Cosby delivered what came to be known as the "Pound Cake" speech , in which he argued that crime in the black community was in part due to bad parenting and a lack of personal responsibility. 
 
 "Looking at the incarcerated, these are not political criminals," Cosby said. 
 
 "These are people going around stealing Coca-Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake! Then we all run out and are outraged: 'The cops shouldn't have shot him.' What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand?" 
 
 Constand's accusations 
 
 Andrea Constand said she was assaulted by Cosby at his home in 2004. 
 
 In 2005, Andrea Constand told police that she was drugged and assaulted by Cosby. Constand, the director of operations for the women's basketball team at Temple at the time, had struck up a friendship with Cosby, a Temple alumnus who was 37 years her senior. 
 
 Sometime between mid-January and mid-February in 2004, Cosby invited Constand to his home in the suburbs of Philadelphia to discuss her future career plans. She told him she was "drained" and had been missing sleep, the criminal complaint states. 
 
 Cosby told her to relax and gave her three blue pills, saying "these will make you feel good. The blue things will take the edge off," according to the complaint. She asked if the pills were herbal and he said they were. After telling Cosby she trusted him, she downed the pills with water. He then offered her wine to drink, and after some pushing, she took a couple of sips, according to the criminal complaint. 
 
 She began experiencing blurred vision and difficulty speaking, lost all strength in her legs, and was "in and out," she told police. According to the complaint, Cosby positioned himself behind her on the sofa, penetrated her vagina with his fingers and put her hand on his penis. She told police that she felt "frozen" and "paralyzed" and did not consent to the touching. 
 
 Constand woke up in the early morning and discovered that her bra was undone and had been moved above her breasts, according to the complaint. 
 
 About a year later, Constand told her mother about the assault, and Mrs. Constand spoke with Cosby over the phone to confront him. In that conversation, Cosby admitted to fondling Constand's breasts, penetrating her vagina, and putting her hand on his penis, according to the criminal complaint. 
 
 A criminal investigation was opened. In an interview with police, Cosby said that the pills he gave Constand were over-the-counter Benadryl. He described their sexual encounter as consensual, and he said she never told him to stop or mentioned that her senses were affected by the Benadryl. 
 
 Cosby also gave an unusual answer when asked if he ever had sexual intercourse with Constand: "Never asleep or awake," he said. 
 
 District Attorney Bruce Castor declined to press charges in 2005. 
 
 Constand filed a civil suit against Cosby shortly after, and Cosby gave a deposition in that case. He and Constand settled the civil suit in 2006. 
 
 Dozens of accusers 
 
 Hannibal Buress' stand-up routine about Bill Cosby reignited the issue. 
 
 Cosby had remained very much in the public spotlight when, a decade later, video of Buress' stand-up performance created a renewed interest in the accusations. Fresh claims began to trickle out. 
 
 Joan Tarshis, a journalist and publicist, told CNN that Cosby had assaulted her 45 years ago when he gave her a drink that made her groggy and she woke up to him removing her underwear. 
 
 Janice Dickinson, the supermodel and TV personality, accused Cosby of sexually assaulting her in 1982 after he gave her a pill and a glass of red wine. 
 
 But public opinion had shifted and, as the number of complaints continued to climb, many gave more credence to the dozens of women and their stories of being drugged and raped. 
 
 Cosby's comedy specials were canceled or put on hold and a number of colleges and institutions cut ties with the now-radioactive comedian. "The sensitivity to women who are sexually harassed or touched without permission has changed dramatically in the last 12 to 13 years," said James Cohen, a criminal law professor at Fordham. 
 
 After a request from the Associated Press, Cosby's deposition in Constand's civil suit was unsealed in July 2015. Cosby's attorneys argued that he only gave that deposition because the district attorney at the time promised never to bring a criminal case based on the accusations. 
 
 However, the release of the deposition led the new district attorney to file criminal charges in December 2015. 
 
 Many of his accusers see the charges as a form of vindication -- no matter the trial's outcome. Heidi Thomas, who accused Cosby of assaulting her in 1984, told CNN that she was "thrilled" to learn he would be charged with a crime. "Is it going to become something that eventually will send him to prison?" she wondered. "Wow. That would be the ultimate victory. I don't know." 
 
 Major issues at trial 
 
 The jury will be faced with two competing accounts of what happened. 
 
 Despite the dozens of accusations, Cosby's trial will in many ways come down to a "he said-she said" argument common to sexual assault cases, legal experts predict. 
 
 "Those cases always carry potential problems for both sides," said attorney Coburn. 
 
 On one side is Constand, now 44, whose testimony of the alleged assault will be the crux of the prosecution's case against Cosby. Though the trial will center on her accusations, jurors will likely be familiar with the many other accusations against Cosby that were covered widely in the media. 
 
 "The media and prejudice from that is the most powerful (issue) to overcome here," said Sara Webster, a criminal defense attorney in Pennsylvania. "There are people who can step back and say, 'Well, I'll stick with what I just hear in the courtroom,' but you know there's an imprint that occurs over time." 
 
 Cosby's attorneys are likely to argue that Constand didn't report the alleged assault until almost a year after she said it happened and will question her version of events. The case has very little forensic evidence, and the defense will try to point out inconsistencies in Constand's story. 
 
 "Time is the enemy for any criminal case," said Jordan Friter, an attorney in Pennsylvania. "Most people couldn't tell you what they had for dinner last night, let alone what happened 13 years ago." 
 
 "The defense is going to be looking for inconsistencies, and is going to claim that the passage of time doesn't excuse (them). The prosecution will use time for any excuse for inconsistencies," said Fordham law professor James Cohen. "That's sort of how the discussion will go." 
 
 Still, Cosby's decision not to testify will make his case "difficult" for jurors, according to Webster. 
 
 "(Jurors) want a denial. It's tough when you have a client that isn't going to take the stand," Webster said. 
 
 Legally speaking, the result of the trial will not directly affirm or deny any of the other accusations against Cosby. But the verdict's impact on the public consciousness is a different story. 
 
 "I think the result of this trial will probably have a lot to do with the way people look at him," said attorney Barry Coburn. "A trial is a powerful thing. It's drama, it's public, and I think people tend to invest the result with a lot of credit." ||||| FILE - In this Thursday, May 2, 2002 file photo, members of Bill Cosby's television family, the Huxtables, gather in NBC's Today show studio for an interview with co-host Katie Couric, in New York. From... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this Thursday, May 2, 2002 file photo, members of Bill Cosby's television family, the Huxtables, gather in NBC's Today show studio for an interview with co-host Katie Couric, in New York. From left are Sabrina Le Beauf, Tempest Bledsoe, Cosby, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Phylicia Rashad, Raven... (Associated Press) 
 
 NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Bill Cosby faced the start of a sentencing hearing Monday at which a judge will decide how to punish the 81-year-old comedian who blazed the trail for other black entertainers and donated millions to black causes but preyed on at least one young woman and perhaps many more. 
 
 Cosby was the first celebrity to go to trial in the #MeToo era and could be the first to go to prison — perhaps for the rest of his days — after being convicted in April of drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. 
 
 Daniel Filler, dean of Drexel University's Kline School of Law, said judges can't help being influenced a little by the "optics" of a case — that it, how it is going to look to the public. 
 
 In this instance, "the judge is going to get flak," he said. "The judge is going to get less flak if they see Bill Cosby walk out in cuffs." 
 
 At the end of the potentially two-day hearing, Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O'Neill could sentence Cosby to as much as 30 years in prison or send him home on probation. The state guidelines for someone like Cosby, with no prior convictions, call for about one to four years behind bars. 
 
 "Obviously, the allegations are serious, and, except for his age and poor health, would normally warrant some jail time," said Samuel Stretton, a veteran defense lawyer not connected to the case. 
 
 Cosby is legally blind and uses a cane, something his lawyers are certain to point out along with his achievements and philanthropy. Prosecutors hoped to call some of his other accusers to paint Cosby as a sexual predator deserving of prison. 
 
 Whatever the sentence, Cosby is likely to be deemed a sexually violent predator and will have to undergo monthly counseling the rest of his life, in prison or out. Neighbors and schools will be warned he is living nearby. 
 
 In the years since Constand first went to police in 2005, more than 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, though none of those claims have led to criminal charges. 
 
 Cosby, who grew up in public housing in Philadelphia, became the first black actor to star in a prime-time TV show, "I Spy," in 1965. He remained a Hollywood A-lister for much of the next half-century, hitting his peak in the 1980s with the top-rated "Cosby Show" as the warm, wisecracking dad, Dr. Cliff Huxtable. 
 
 But behind the scenes, according to testimony, the married star sought out sexual encounters with young women, including actresses he offered to mentor, models seeking a part on his shows, and flight attendants he met in his travels. He also acknowledged obtaining quaaludes in the 1970s to give to women before sex.
– Bill Cosby's trial for allegedly assaulting Andrea Constand begins Monday, and at least one member of his former TV family will reportedly be watching from the sidelines, per NBC News. Keshia Knight Pulliam, 38, who played little Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show, is expected to be in the Norristown, Pa., courthouse to watch the proceedings against her 79-year-old former boss, with Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt telling People that Pulliam won't be there to "proclaim guilt or innocence," but simply "to finally hear the truth for herself." Wyatt says Cosby's wife on the show, Phylicia Rashad, will also appear in the courtroom at some point, though the New York Daily News says it has been told that a Rashad appearance Monday is "unlikely" because she's working. Reports of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played son Theo Huxtable, attending are similarly being bandied about. The New York Times offers an overview of what to expect during the trial—"perhaps America's highest profile celebrity trial since that of OJ Simpson"—including expected lines of evidence, the Cosby legal team's anticipated strategy, and some juror information. CNN says the trial has come down to a "he said-she said" scenario, with one other alleged victim expected to testify against Cosby in addition to Constand. "What Cosby is hoping for is that the jury forgets about the other 48 [alleged victims]," a Fordham criminal law professor notes. Meanwhile, Constand herself is reportedly ready to face intense grilling on the witness stand. "There's no trepidation, no fear," a close friend who's also one of Cosby's alleged victims tells NBC. "She used to play basketball and she prepared for those games like nobody else and that is what she has done here." (Vice calls the trial a "test for America.")