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Prosecutors want to call 19 other accusers at Bill Cosby retrial

Posted at 6:54 AM, Jan 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-19 06:54:41-05

Prosecutors preparing for Bill Cosby's retrial on sexual assault charges want to call 19 other accusers to try to show a pattern of "prior bad acts" over five decades.   

The comedian's first trial ended with a hung jury in June. In that proceeding, prosecutors asked to call 13 other accusers, but the judge allowed only one to testify. 

A lawyer for Cosby says she can't comment on Thursday's filing. 

The 80-year-old comedian is charged with knocking out a Temple University employee with pills and sexually assaulting her in 2004. 

Cosby has said the sexual encounter was consensual. 

Pennsylvania law allows testimony about "prior bad acts" if they fit a nearly identical crime pattern. Prosecutors say that's the case for the TV star once dubbed "America's Dad."