Sexual assault case against Bill Cosby will go forward

A bid by Bill Cosby's lawyers to have the sexual-assault charges against him dismissed was rejected by a Montgomery County judge, paving the way for a potential trial.

The 78-year-old actor had claimed that the former D.A. in suburban Philadelphia had promised the comedian that he would not be prosecuted for allegedly sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, TMZ.com reported.

Cosby had claimed that he agreed to sit for a deposition in Constand's civil case only because of the D.A.'s promise and that deposition contained essential information about supplying drugs to women that led to the criminal filing.

According to the prosecutors, the former D.A. had no legal authority to make that secret agreement, which Cosby and his attorneys never got in writing.

The judge agreed and now, the Constand case will move forward. Preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled to begin in about a month.

A rep for Cosby says the decision reached by the court was wrong and they will appeal.

The 'Cosby Show' actor faces five to 10 years behind bars and a 25,000 dollar fine if found guilty of his charges. Since arraignment, he remains free on $1 million bail and has not entered a plea.