Bill Cosby Jury Deadlocked After 30 Hours, But Judge Says to Keep Trying

Comedian faces three felony counts of aggravated sexual assault

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The jury in Bill Cosby’s criminal trial in Norristown, Pennsylvania, announced Thursday they were deadlocked after 30 hours of deliberations, but Montgomery County Judge Steven O’Neill urged the panel to keep trying to reach a verdict.

The 12-person jury told the court Thursday morning they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on any of the three felony counts of aggravated sexual assault against the 79-year-old star.

Cosby has been accused of drugging and sexually molesting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

“If after further deliberations you are still deadlocked on some on all of the charges, you should report that to me,” O’Neill told the jury. “If at that time you have reached a unanimous verdict on some of the charges, please report that to me as well.”

O’Neill also denied a motion from Cosby’s defense team to declare a mistrial, saying it was “inappropriate at this time.”

The panel of seven men and five women, who were selected in Pittsburgh even though the trial took place outside Philadelphia, began deliberations on Monday evening following six days of testimony.

Since then, the jury has made several requests to review various bits of trial testimony.

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