Bill Cosby tweeted his thanks to “friends and fans” on Thursday, December 31, a day after he was arraigned on charges of sexual assault in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.
“Friends and fans, thank you,” the disgraced Cosby star, 78, wrote.
On Wednesday, December 30, the comedian was charged with second-degree felony of aggravated indecent assault. The former TV star did not enter a plea, and his bail was set for $1 million, which he posted.
Friends and fans, Thank You.
— Bill Cosby (@BillCosby) January 1, 2016
Meanwhile, a preliminary hearing has been set for January 14. Cosby also forfeited his passport to authorities.
The newly reopened case stems from a 2004 incident in which Andrea Constantd, a Temple University employee at the time, claimed that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her at his home in Philadelphia. The actor is a Temple University alum.
In 2005, the case was rejected, but it has since been reopened after damaging testimony was uncovered in a related suit that involved dozens of other women who have accused Cosby of sexual assault.
Since comedian Hannibal Buress’ October 2014 stand-up show, in which he called Cosby a “rapist,” dozens of women have accused the comedian of drugging and sexually assaulting them.
Cosby’s lawyer, Monique Pressley, said in a statement to Us Weekly that the charges against the man known as America’s Dad are unjustified.
"The charge by the Montgomery County District Attorney's office came as no surprise," the statement to Us read. "Filed 12 years after the alleged incident and coming on the heels of a hotly contested election for this county's DA during which this case was made the focal point. Make no mistake, we intend to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge and we expect that Mr. Cosby will be exonerated by a court of law."
