For the first time in the history of the institution, Ohio State University is revoking an honorary degree as they have made the move to take away the honor bestowed upon comedian Bill Cosby when he spoke at the school’s commencement in 2011.
This, however, does not arrive as the first instance of revocation for Cosby who previously had his honorary degrees stripped from the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Tufts, Fordham University, Baylor University, Oberlin College, University of San Francisco, and Boston University following the steep allegations against Cosby in which over 50 women have accused him of sexual assault.
The announcement from Ohio State arrived just days before Cosby is set to stand trial again in the case involving his alleged assault of Andrea Constand in 2004. It was last summer that the original trial was left deadlocked with a hung jury and declared a mistrial. This time around, five additional women, including Janice Dickinson, will take to the witness stand to deliver on testimonies of their own encounters with Mr. Cosby in which they will testify that they were also drugged and assaulted by the comedian.
The 12-person jury that will be responsible for convicting or acquitting Bill Cosby consists of the same makeup of the first with five women and seven men and only two African-Americans—one male and one female while the remaining 10 are white.
Opening statements begin Monday and according to the presiding Judge Steven T. O’Neill, the trial could last as long as one month before deliberations are conducted.