Monique Pressley is the Face of Bill Cosby’s Defense Team
How often do we see that in spite of the diversity of lawyers representing a high profile defendant that the media attention directed at the lawyers defaults to the man at the table? Well in the Bill Cosby case it seems that the table is turned. In his recent criminal charges, brought in Philadelphia relating to allegations of sexual assault, Bill Cosby is represented by a team of diverse lawyers but the clear spokesperson for the accused is Monique Pressley. The defense team is obviously subject to intense media scrutiny in a case like this and these are just a few examples here and here. The team includes a well respected local lawyer Brian McMonagle as well as lawyers from Quinn Emanuel.
Monique started her career as a public defender in Washington D.C. and later was an assistant at the Attorney General’s Office in D.C. She has experience as a media consultant but this is her first representation of defendant in a high profile criminal case. By all accounts she is doing a terrific job as she faces national scrutiny defending Bill Cosby.
The legal issues are serving to be quite interesting as well. The defense team has filed a motion to dismiss based on the previous district attorney’s promise that Cosby would not face criminal prosecution as it relates to his now famous deposition testimony in the civil case. The failure of the district attorney’s office to bring criminal charges against Cosby, became the focus of the political campaign, to be the top prosecutor in Philadelphia, and the rivalry between the candidates has become a focus in the Cosby defense. There is a hearing set for February 2 on the motion to dismiss and the ex DA is expected to testify.
Just watch some of Monique Pressley’s television interviews and it is obvious why Cosby has chosen her as his legal spokesperson. She is a powerful advocate who stays tightly on message. And that point is certainly not lost on me that a woman defender is center stage on what will serve to be one of the biggest criminal case of this century.