A topless protester with “Women's Lives Matters” written on her body has charged at Bill Cosby as he walked into a Philadelphia courthouse for the start of his retrial over accusations of sexual assault.
The woman jumped over a barricade and launched towards Cosby but was intercepted by sheriff's deputies, who handcuffed her and led her away.
The unidentified woman was among a number of people chanting in support of Cosby's accuser. The protester had “Women's Lives Matters” written in red ink on her chest and stomach along with other phrases in black and red all over her body.
The new trial comes almost a year after a jury reached deadlock on charges that Cosby drugged and assaulted Andrea Constand, 44, at his home outside Philadelphia in 2004. Judge Steven O'Neill declared a mistrial. Opening arg
If convicted of the most serious charge of aggravated indecent assault, Cosby, 80, best known as the patriarch on The Cosby Show, could face up to 10 years in prison.
Ms Constand is one of dozens women who have accused him of sexual assaults, some dating back decades. Cosby has denied all allegations made against him, and said all sexual encounters were consensual.
The court is likely to hear much of the same evidence as in the first trial, but each side comes to the second trial with fresh ammunition after a series of pre-trial rulings by the judge.
Judge O'Neill, who is also handling the second trial, granted a prosecution request to allow testimony by five other women who accuse Cosby of sexual assault in order to allege that he was engaged in a pattern of behaviour. At the first trial, he allowed prosecutors to call only one other accuser.
And the judge also granted a defence request to allow testimony from a woman who claims Ms Constand mused aloud about falsely accusing a famous man to get money. The judge barred her at the first trial. Ms Constand's lawyer has claimed the former co-worker of Ms Constand is lying.
Agencies contributed to this report
