Marguerite Jackson wanted to tell her story to the jury in the sexual assault trial of comedian Bill Cosby.
And since Judge Steven O’Neill allowed testimony from accuser Andrea Constand’s neighbor, who said she wasn’t herself after the alleged incident with Cosby, it seemed logical that O’Neill would allow Jackson’s testimony.
He did not.
So Jackson, whose statement was issued to the court on Nov. 20, permitted Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt to read what the jury may have considered compelling testimony.
Jackson, a student adviser at Temple University where Constand worked as director of basketball operations for the women’s basketball team, said she had regular contact with Constand and the two became fast friends.
“I traveled with the team approximately six times,” Jackson said. “On each occasion, Andrea and I shared a hotel room. Although I cannot recall the specific year, there was an occasion I recall the television was on. We were watching the news. There was a news story of a high-profile individual who was accused of drugging women and sexually assaulting them.
“It was a well-publicized case,” Jackson’s bombshell testimony read. “The news story piqued Andrea’s interest. She told me that something similar had happened to her. I was shocked. I asked her if she had filed charges. She said she hadn’t. I asked her why and she said, that like the story on the news, the person who had drugged and done something to her sexually was a high-profile person.
“I responded, telling Andrea that it didn’t matter who the person is, she should have reported it,” Jackson said. “I think asked Andrea if what she was saying really happened. Her response was that it had not happened but she could say it happened and file charges, file a civil suit, get the money, go to school and open a business.
“Andrea and I never discussed the matter again,” Jackson’s testimony read. “It was about a year later that Andrea left Temple then I learned she went to the authorities and claimed that Bill Cosby had drugged and sexually assaulted her. I wasn’t shocked since this was exactly what Andrea said she could do, and so she did.”
O’Neill denied Cosby’s lawyers a chance to call Jackson as a witness, saying that her testimony was hearsay. Jurors on Tuesday continued to deliberate the fate of the comedian, who faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the three counts of indecent aggravated assault against him.