Bill Cosby was ordered to stand trial in a criminal assault case on Tuesday, the Associated Press reports.
The charges stem from the accusations of former Temple University employee Andrea Constand, who alleges that the comedian drugged and assaulted her at his home.
During a preliminary hearing in the criminal case against the scandal-battered comedian on Tuesday, the court heard a statement from his accuser saying that the comedian had given her pills that incapacitated her.
Though Cosby’s accuser, former Temple University employee Andrea Constand, was not present, the court heard a statement that Constand made to detectives in which she said that the comedian gave her three pills, which left her dizzy and her legs feeling “like jelly,” USA Today reports.
“I told him, ‘I can’t even talk, Mr. Cosby.’ I started to panic,” said Constand’s statement, read aloud in court by former Montgomery County detective Katherine Hart.
Cosby, 78, attended the hearing.
Constand alleges that the comedian drugged and assaulted her in 2004. Though Cosby and Constand later settled a lawsuit brought against her, the comedian was charged with aggravated indecent assault in December.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the comedian’s attorney argued that he should be allowed to ask more questions about Constand’s statement, contending that, since Constand wasn’t present to testify, he was left to rely on questions about the statement.
“If not, this is a travesty of justice,” Brian McMonagle said. “I say that from my heart.”
Cosby’s legal team had unsuccessfully attempted to get the criminal case against him dropped, in part because they said that former Montgomery County, Pennsylvania district attorney Bruce Castor said that he would not bring charges against the comedian.
Cosby has been accused of rape or sexual assault by dozens of women, many of whom claim that he drugged them beforehand. Cosby has denied the allegations.