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COMMENTARY: One Year Later Experts Still Concerned Bill Cosby Didn’t Receive Fair Trial

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Specifically, the trial court abused its discretion, erred and materially infringed on Cosby’s constitutional rights to Due Process of Law under the Constitution of the United States. The judge should not have allowed the admittance of five prior ‘bad act witnesses,’” said attorney David Reischer, CEO of LegalAdvice.com. “The witnesses’ allegations were too far remote in time and too dissimilar to the Plaintiff’s allegations.”

Published

8 years ago

April 6, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

One year after Bill Cosby’s conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent assault, experts said Cosby didn’t get a fair trial for various reasons, including the #MeToo movement, the media, an unfair judge and racism.

“Dr. Bill Cosby did not receive a fair trial. It was he-said-she-said and even much of what the women said, other people contradicted,” said Oxford alum Jonathan Farley.

While the verdict against Cosby was heralded as a great milestone in justice for women accusers, law experts say they’re baffled by the conviction and even more concerned with how the case was tried.

“Judge Steven O’Neill rigged the trial to ensure that Cosby would be convicted,” said International Rights Attorney John Davis.

The trial was a “terrific example of the travesty of justice in the American courtroom for sex assault trials,” said Paul Saputo, of the Saputo Law Firm in Dallas, Texas.

“As has happened throughout American history, popular culture weighs heavily on criminal justice and I obviously don’t know whether or not Cosby is guilty of what he’s accused of, but when the justice system sacrifices fairness in procedure to tilt the scales, we have a major problem,” Saputo said.

Not only did Cosby’s accuser receive a large amount of support from the government and press, Cosby became a victim of the mass media and popular culture who won’t give him a second thought, Saputo added.

Experts said there were multiple mis-steps by the judge in the case, including allowing the use of Cosby’s infamous 2006 civil deposition.

“The alleged deposition transcript does not show Cosby drugged women without their knowledge in order to incapacitate them so that he could rape them,” said Farley. “But a juror admitted that he voted to convict Cosby based on this false belief.”

Davis added that if Castor hadn’t promised Cosby that the deposition could never be used against him, Cosby could, and likely would, have exercised his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.

“Years later, a new trophy hunting District Attorney decided to violate the promises of the prosecutor’s office and filed charges against Cosby,” Davis said.

Castor testified during a preliminary hearing in the Cosby case that he did indeed have what he called a binding agreement with Cosby and that the deposition should not be used.

The new DA, Kevin Steele, argued that portions of it that are damaging to Cosby should be used.

O’Neill sided with Steele.

“That is tantamount to the judge ensuring a conviction by sneaking evidence in the back door that suggests Cosby is a bad man who has sex outside of marriage and who does drugs and provides drugs to women who are having a relationship with him,” Davis argued.

“Cosby never said in his deposition that he gave them drugs so that they would be unconscious so that he could rape them. This is a pure lie and fraud committed by the mass media,” he said.

After O’Neill refused to allow him to provide crucial testimony in Cosby’s defense, Robert Russell, a close friend of the Constand family, told Philadelphia’s YC News that Cosby accuser Andrea Constand and her mother pressed charges because of vindictiveness, racism and homophobia. “What they have done is disgraceful,” Russell said.

“I’ll never forget when she told me she’d like to see all niggers gathered together and killed. That is genocide. She spoke like Adolf Hitler,” Russell said. “I realized what I was getting involved in and got out of it like a bat out of hell. That family was dark and I don’t want anything to do with them,” he said.

Lead attorney Tom Mesereau said his team had unearthed Russell, an old friend of Constand, to bring “out the ghosts in Andrea and her mother, Gianna Constand’s past.”

Yet O’Neill blocked the lawyers from introducing the tales of drug use, greed and racism that included a deep hatred for African-Americans – a hatred so deep and dark he claimed Gianna Constand wanted to “see all niggers gathered together and killed.”

O’Neill sided with prosecutors who contended that Russell’s testimony would taint the jurors perspective on who the Constand’s were so much that it could poison their minds and likely change the outcome.

“She despised black people — she didn’t want any black men or women in her house,” Russell said.

“The prosecution entrusted this case on a family, who made it clear they ‘despised black men’ and ‘wanted revenge on black people’ after their daughter lost her boyfriend to a black woman. She didn’t like that,” Russel said, referring to Gianna Constand.

He continued:

“She [Andrea] would do anything to please her parents.”

Constand allegedly had a brief relationship with NBA star Steve Nash which was cut short after he was photographed with a black woman, who Andrea’s mother referred to as a ‘bimbo’ compared to her daughter.

“You have a lying mother, the personification of evil who likely urged her daughter to file charges after her parents saw Andrea gained nothing out of the relationship with Bill Cosby.” Russell said.

“[Gianna] said if she ever saw her daughter in an interracial relationship she would stop her and if she couldn’t, she’d make something up,” he said. “It all goes back to her very first boyfriend. Her mother put all her hopes in Nash — her mother was devastated when that photo came out with him and a black woman,” Russell said.

Still, the defense’s strongest argument on appeal is the judge’s erroneous decision to allow five additional women to testify against Cosby, said attorney David Reischer, CEO of LegalAdvice.com.

“Specifically, the trial court abused its discretion, erred and materially infringed on Cosby’s constitutional rights to Due Process of Law under the Constitution of the United States. The judge should not have allowed the admittance of five prior ‘bad act witnesses,’” Reischer said. “The witnesses’ allegations were too far remote in time and too dissimilar to the Plaintiff’s allegations.”

As Cosby sits in prison pending appeal, unanswered questions remain.

“How come the only person in jail through the #MeToo movement is a black man? And it seems that the next possible conviction will be R. Kelly, another black man,” said Beth Logan, a Massachusetts-based certified IRS Tax Agent.

“Maybe I am wrong about the ‘only’ person, there might be one or two others,” Logan said. “But seriously, where is Harvey W, Matt Lauer, and others. Maybe they are out of work, but I find it amazing that jail is only for black people and no, I am not black, but I’m still concerned about the difference,” she said.

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61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.