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The order by the Pennsylvania Superior Court postpones a
March 8 preliminary hearing in a suburban Philadelphia court
where Cosby, 78, faces charges of sexually assaulting a woman
more than a decade ago.
Cosby's attorneys had appealed a ruling by Common Pleas Court
Judge Steven O'Neill in Norristown that dismissed the
entertainer's claims that he had been granted immunity from
prosecution in the case. Prosecutors had sought to quash the
appeal.
Cosby's attorneys had asked the judge to toss the charges,
contending that a deal reached with former Montgomery County
District Attorney Bruce Castor spared their client from
prosecution in exchange for a 2005 civil deposition.
In the deposition, Cosby admitted giving what he said was an
anti-allergy drug to his alleged victim, Andrea Constand, before
a sexual encounter that he described as consensual.
Constand, now 44, has said Cosby plied her with alcohol and
drugs before raping her.
More than 50 women have accused Cosby, whose long career was
based on family-friendly comedy, of sexually assaulting them in
attacks dating back to the 1960s. Many of the incidents are too
old to prosecute.
The Pennsylvania case is the only incident for which Cosby has
been criminally charged.
(Reporting by Ian Simpson in Washington and Dan Kelley in
Philadelphia; Editing by Dan Grebler)
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