New Developments in Cosby Fondling Investigation

Jan. 27, 2005 — -- Investigators probing the sexual misconduct allegations made against Bill Cosby by a former Temple University employee have concluded there was sexual contact between the entertainer and the woman, but they are trying to determine whether it was consensual, a source close to the investigation has told ABC News.

Cosby met voluntarily with law enforcement officials Wednesday at a location outside Pennsylvania. A 31-year-old woman has accused Cosby, 67, of giving her a pill that rendered her semiconscious and fondling her at his Cheltenham Township, Pa., mansion early last year. Cosby has denied the allegations, his attorney called them "preposterous" and "bizarre."

A source close to the investigation told ABC News that Cosby's version of what happened between him and the woman and his accuser's story are similar in many ways. The dispute, the source told ABC News, is whether the contact between Cosby and the woman was consensual.

Prosecutors Could Make Decision in Two Weeks

At a news conference Wednesday, Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. said Cosby is fully cooperating with investigators, and authorities expect to decide whether they will bring charges against him in two weeks. Castor indicated that the alleged victim's delay in coming forward and contact with the entertainer since the incident could hurt her case.

"I did hear a report that said that I had determined her testimony, her statement was credible. That is inaccurate. I haven't made any such determination one way or the other," Castor said. "He [Cosby] is presumably innocent and can come and go as he pleases. ... I think the factors such as failure to disclose in a timely manner and contacts with the alleged perpetrator after the event are factors that weigh toward Mr. Cosby."

Lawyers representing the woman making the allegations said in a statement that she is a victim of sexual assault and that her alleged encounter with the man she once considered a mentor has traumatized her.

"There is nothing bizarre or preposterous about our client's allegations as the attorney for Cosby contends," said Dolores Troiani, one of the attorneys presenting the woman."Our client is the victim of a sexual assault. Nor is it uncommon to delay reporting sexual assault for many reasons, including, among others, the traumatic nature of the event and the betrayal of trust which is felt by the victim. In this case, our client naturally experienced a great deal of emotions, having at one time perceived Mr. Cosby as a friend and mentor."

Cosby's accuser is reportedly a former basketball standout at the University of Arizona who worked at Temple for several years before returning to her native Canada to attend massage school. Cosby, a Temple alumnus, frequently attends campus events and has generated headlines over the past year for criticizing African-American parents for the way they raise their children.

Reported by ABC News Chief Legal Correspondent Cynthia McFadden on "Good Morning America."