'I was shocked by the verdict': Gloria Allred, lawyer for 33 of Bill Cosby's accusers
The people of 2018
When the disgraced TV star was found guilty of sexual assault, Allred's clients went from survivors to 'fighters for change'
Fri 28 Dec 2018 04.00 EST Last modified on Fri 15 Feb 2019 12.19 EST
'I'd had low expectations: it has become so common for women not to be believed': Gloria Allred (centre). Photograph: Reuters
I began to represent women who alleged they were victims of Bill Cosby around 2014. Several women contacted me wanting to know what they could do about him. In almost every case it was too late for them to file a lawsuit because of the statute of limitations. However, it wasn't too late for Andrea Constand, who was represented by another attorney, to have a criminal case filed in Pennsylvania; they had a longer statute of limitations. It ended in a mistrial in 2017, but after the case was refiled, there was a conviction this April [for drugging and sexually assaulting Constand].
I was very pleasantly surprised with the guilty verdict. Shocked, actually, because I have been practising for 42 years and it has become so normal for women not to be believed when they allege they were assaulted, particularly by a rich, famous, powerful celebrity.
While I'd had low expectations, I had thought there was a better chance of conviction in the second trial, because the court allowed five "prior bad act witnesses" to testify [helping to establish a pattern of behaviour]. I represented three of the five. In the first criminal case the court had decided only one witness could testify. I always said, and still maintain, that there needed to be more than one. I have reason to believe it made a difference. Indeed, a reporter who interviewed some of the jurors told me it had.
This was the first criminal case involving a high-profile celebrity accused of sexual assault to be conducted in the #MeToo era. I don't think #MeToo is the only reason there was a conviction, but it had to be a factor. But then the question is: how many women does it take to testify before one woman, namely Andrea, is believed against a rich, famous, powerful celebrity?
Bill Cosby leaving court. Photograph: AP
My clients were very happy about the conviction and satisfied with the sentence, handed down in September, which was three to 10 years. They also felt it was extremely important that the judge ruled Mr Cosby will be classified as a "sexually violent predator". They felt empowered. And for me that's the key word: empowerment. My clients were transformed from victims to survivors to fighters for change.
Paramount in my memory from the trial is my clients testifying and how proud I was of them. It's very difficult to undergo a gruelling cross-examination by a highly skilled, highly paid defence attorney. And they were willing to undergo it for no personal benefit. The other thing is Mr Cosby shouting out angrily in the courtroom after he was convicted. [Cosby yelled out, in the third person, "He doesn't have a plane, you asshole!" when the district attorney, asking for bail to be revoked, called him a flight risk.] Apparently Mr Cosby does have an anger management problem!
The #MeToo movement is not just about having a voice on the internet; it's about access to justice. So I feel that there was vindication for Andrea. And the many others who had made allegations felt vindicated, even though he was not charged with crimes relating to them.
As told to Arwa Mahdawi
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