SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Bill Cosby’s so-called town hall tour is unlikely to happen before his retrial on sex assault charges in Pennsylvania, one of his lawyers said Tuesday.
Attorney Angela Agrusa said after a hearing to set a trial date in a sex abuse lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the comedian that she “can’t imagine” Cosby’s legal team would let him perform or speak publicly as representatives said he planned to do this summer.
“He doesn’t take lightly these criminal charges,” Agrusa said. “He would never do anything that undermined the importance of this issue. I don’t see him speaking publicly like that.”
Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt said by email that the legal team will not let him speak about sexual assault. He did not say if the public events would go forward.
Talk of the forums after a jury deadlocked in Pennsylvania in the criminal case sparked a backlash from groups that advocate for sexual assault victims and educate about sexual abuse.
Spokespeople for Cosby and his wife had said the forums — at least one planned in Birmingham, Alabama, next month when Cosby turns 80 — were aimed at educating young people how to stay out of trouble and be aware of changing sex assault laws.
