NORRISTOWN, Pa. _ Jurors in Bill Cosby's sex assault trial continued deliberations Friday, a day after reporting a deadlock that ignited pent-up passions on both sides of the case and prompted the judge to order the panel to keep trying to reach a verdict.
An ambiguous court directive for the defendant, lawyers and the media to return to court at noon set off a furious scramble and speculation that a verdict was at hand. Instead, it was to respond to another question from the jury _ the eighth request since the panel began deliberating Monday night.
Almost as soon as they started Friday, jurors had asked again to hear Cosby's 2005 deposition testimony about his contact with Andrea Constand, and they wanted the definition of "reasonable doubt." Upon their return a few hours later, they wanted to review Constand's testimony about phone records and her mother's testimony.
By Friday afternoon, they had made a few more requests to review evidence.
Entering its fifth day, the deliberation phase was threatening to last as long as the testimony and arguments of the trial. But the new questions signaled that the jury, which had reported an impasse a day earlier, may be making progress after a night's rest.
Still, they sparked yet more calls from the defense for a mistrial, a request made five times this week. Each time the judge has rejected the motion.
"In a case of this size, this magnitude, this length, as long as this jury wishes to continue to deliberate I will let them deliberate," Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O'Neill told them Friday morning.
After the last request for more testimony, defense lawyer Brian McMonagle complained, "We're now being asked to review the entire trial."
The judge shot back: "They have been working extraordinarily hard now for the last 26 hours, since 11 yesterday."
As his lawyer argued, Cosby leaned back in his chair, facing away from the judge, eyes closed, rubbing his face. Earlier, O'Neill had Cosby swear under oath that he supports the mistrial motions. And he reminded the defendant that a mistrial wouldn't prevent prosecutors from retrying him on the case.
Constand and her mother, Gianna, were also in the courtroom Friday.
But they and Cosby have remained largely out of sight since closing arguments on Monday, although Cosby's spokesman has publicly declared the deadlock a victory for the defendant, and his supporters have flocked to the courthouse.
As Cosby entered the courthouse Friday, he smiled as several shouted "Love you, Bill! Always!," "God's got this!" and "Hang in there!"
The prospect of a verdict also has drawn critics and advocates.
As jurors ate their lunch around 1 p.m., Angela Rose, the founder of the sex assault victims advocacy group PAVE, stood behind the podium set up outside the courthouse and told reporters she has been waiting with Constand for the decision.
"Andrea's calm, she's strong and she's grateful that she spoke her truth," said Rose, adding that the she thought Cosby's defense engaged in victim-blaming and shaming. "But Andrea, she will not be intimidated."
Cosby, in turn, had tweeted out thanks to his supporters.
"Thank you to all of my fans and supporters _ here in Norristown and worldwide," he wrote.
The jury has offered no signs of what may be causing their division. On Friday morning, they smiled and nodded at the judge. Some whispered to each other as he asked them to clarify one of their requests.
