Q&A on the News

Q: A newspaper article stated that the Bill Cosby trial had been postponed due to an appeal by Cosby that his case be dismissed on the grounds that a previous DA had promised him no charges would be brought against him if he testified in the 2005 case against him. Can you explain what happened?

—Marlene Aronoff, Atlanta

A: Bruce L. Castor Jr., the district attorney in the 2005 criminal investigation against Cosby, promised him he wouldn't be prosecuted for what he said while testifying in the subsequent civil trial.

Cosby wasn’t tried in criminal court at that time because prosecutors couldn’t find enough evidence.

In the civil case, Andrea Constand accused Cosby of sexually abusing her at his home in 2004. In his testimony in the civil trial, “Cosby acknowledged obtaining quaaludes as part of his effort to have sex with women,” the New York Times reported.

Cosby paid a cash settlement to Constand after the civil trial ended in 2006.

Prosecutors have said they plan to use his testimony from the civil trial in the current case against him.

Current Montgomery County DA Kevin Steele has said that there isn’t a non-prosecution agreement, Philly.com reported.

Steele defeated Castor for the Montgomery County DA job last November in what Philly.com called a “contentious” race.

Q: Where is a newspaper recycling box in the Fayetteville area?

—Rosa Marchman, Fayetteville

A: The Fayette County Transfer Station (211 First Manassas Mile Road, Fayetteville, 866-258-7660) is open 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Andy Johnston with Fast Copy News Service wrote this column; Emily Jenkins contributed. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).