After losing his two main lawyers, Bill Cosby has assembled new legal representation including one key choice: Thomas Mesereau, the lawyer who famously got Michael Jackson acquitted in his 2005 child-molestation trial, will now lead Cosby’s defense. He’ll be joined by ex–federal prosecutor Kathleen Bliss and Philadelphia attorney Sam Silver. Since winning the Jackson case, Mesereau defended Suge Knight in his murder case (but left his team last year) and has appeared as a cable news pundit; he also previously represented Mike Tyson in his 2001 rape case before the charges were dropped, and defended actor Robert Blake in his 2004 murder case before resigning without explanation. He describes himself as an “unconventional, unpredictable trial lawyer.â€
Cosby’s appointment of three new lawyers follows the departures of his former lawyers Brian J. McMonagle and Angela Agrusa earlier this month. A hearing is set for Tuesday, during which Montgomery County judge Steven T. O’Neill will hear both of their motions to exit the case, as well as set a location for jury selection. Bill Cosby is being retried for the alleged 2004 sexual assault and drugging of Andrea Constand after the original trial ended with a hung jury. The retrial is set for November 6.