httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wceyVICjVpM
US comedian Bill Cosby has been found guilty of three counts of sexual assault, each of which carries a potential 10 years in prison.
Cosby, the first major black actor on primetime TV, will remain out of jail until he is sentenced, the judge ruled.
At the start of the retrial in Pennsylvania it was revealed that Cosby had paid Ms Constand almost $3.4m in a civil settlement in 2006.
Cosby is best known for starring in the 1980s TV series The Cosby Show.
Cosby’s lawyer Tom Mesereau insisted “The fight is not over”, adding that he believes Cosby is innocent and that he plans to file an appeal.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, who brought the charges against Cosby, held a press conference after the verdict.
Bill Cosby’s lawyers anticipated this and took direct aim at the movement during the trial, telling the jury “Mob rule is not due process.” But ultimately, the jury sided with Andrea Constand and set aside the 80-year-old comedian’s wholesome image as American’s favourite dad. At one time, t was no star bigger than Bill Cosby.
The former reality television star testified Mr Cosby offered her a blue pill that he said would help with discomfort from menstrual cramps.
The case against Cosby was one of the first celebrity assault trials conducted in the light of the #MeToo movement, which has raised awareness of alleged sexual misconduct by a number of powerful media figures.