In a shocking reversal of justice, Bill Cosby has been released from prison following the court’s decision to overturn his 2018 conviction for sexual assault. Cosby, who for years reigned as one of America’s most beloved comedians and television actors, saw his star drastically diminished after allegations of rape rose up against him years ago. This came before the Me Too era began confronting predators such as Harvey Weinstein within the entertainment industry. Eventually, there came to be 60 accusations against Cosby as more and more women came forward stating he had drugged and raped them.
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Cosby was arrested in 2015 and later stood trial for the sexual assault of Andrea Constand, a proceeding that saw many delays and restarts. Cosby was found guilty in 2018 and was sentenced to prison for three to ten years. At the time, his lawyers requested Cosby serve under house arrest instead due to his enhanced age (he was 81). Those appeals were rejected, and Cosby went to prison that year. He remained there up until Wednesday.
According to Variety, Cosby has been released from prison, and his rape charge has been overturned. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court determined that a prior deal Cosby made with former prosecutor Bruce Castor should have prevented him from being charged for sexual assault. In 2005, operating under the belief that Constand would not be able to supply viable evidence, Castor vowed not to prosecute Cosby. The new court decision reads:
“The collective weight of these considerations led D.A. Castor to conclude that, unless Cosby confessed, there was insufficient credible and admissible evidence upon which any charge against Mr. Cosby related to the Constand incident could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Cosby was released mere hours after the court’s decision was made, having served just over two years of his sentence. The news of his release has been met with fierce backlash online, though the disgraced comedian found some support in his former onscreen wife Phylicia Rashad. Cosby’s conviction was the very first one to arrive in the Me Too era, and it was seen as proof that victims could have their voices heard and justice could be found. The sudden change, which comes about because of something that happened over a decade ago, comes as a sobering shock.
Though some accused figures of the Me Too era have suffered true consequences, such as Weinstein, it is still an uphill battle for Hollywood to topple the previous practice of letting predators walk free. Based on the fierce online reaction to Cosby’s release, no one is going to forget his conviction any time soon. While Cosby likely won’t be mounting a comeback (as some like Kevin Spacey have attempted to do), this is still a blow to the ongoing movement and the comedian’s accusers, who still deserve justice.
Source: Variety
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