Bill Cosby walked into a Norristown, Pa., courthouse Monday for the first day of his sexual assault trial with his television daughter Keshia Knight Pulliam at his side. It was speculated Sunday that Knight Pulliam, who played Rudy on The Cosby Show, would lend her support to her TV dad as he faces the jury and his accuser Andrea Constand.
As Cosby walked into the courthouse, among the onlookers were several other Cosby accusers as well as attorney Gloria Allred, who represents some accusers.
“I haven’t seen him since 1969,” said one of the accusers, Victoria Valentino, 74, who says that Cosby raped her decades ago, according to NBC News. “I hope he makes eye contact because I’d love to look him in the eye and stare him down.”
The jury, which consists of people from the Pittsburgh area, will hear testimony from Constand as well as one other Cosby accuser. The trial is expected to last two weeks, with the defense focusing on trying to undermine Constand’s credibility.
Constand has accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2004, when she was employed at Cosby’s alma mater, Temple University. Constand’s civil suit, which was filed in 2005, led the Montgomery County, Pa., District Attorney’s Office to prosecute Cosby in 2015.
If found guilty, Cosby could spend the last years of his life behind bars.