Culture

Bill Cosby Was Released From Prison — Why the Court Overturned His Conviction

In a baffling and upsetting turn of events, the disgraced entertainer walked free.

2.3K

Bill Cosby Was Released From Prison — Why the Court Overturned His Conviction

In a baffling and upsetting turn of events, the disgraced entertainer walked free.

On Wednesday, Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction was thrown out by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, freeing the disgraced comedian from a 10-year prison sentence. Cosby, who is 83, spent the last three years behind bars and was recently denied parole for refusing to participate in a therapy program for sex offenders.

The court’s decision has led many to wonder how a man with more than 50 accusers is allowed to walk free. Allegations of groping, assault and rape against the entertainer date as far back as the 1960s. Despite the wealth of testimony against Cosby, his release stems from a deal he made with Bruce Castor, the former district attorney of Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County, in 2005. That year, Andrea Constand, a former mentee of Cosby’s, came forward with allegations that he had drugged and molested her in 2004. Castor, who recently represented Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, said Constand did not have enough evidence to pursue a conviction — instead, he suggested she file a civil lawsuit. If Cosby agreed to sit for a deposition in the suit, Castor promised he would not face criminal charges.

During the deposition, Cosby admitted to administering sedatives to women he wanted to have sex with, though he maintained the drug-taking and physical contact was consensual. He also admitted to giving Constand one-and-a-half tablets of Benadryl to “relieve stress.”

In 2015, Constand’s case was reopened. Cosby’s deposition from 2005 was used as evidence in his trial, which ultimately resulted in his 2018 conviction of aggravated indecent assault. Now, the court has ruled that the use of Cosby’s deposition was unconstitutional due to the deal he had made with Castor prior.

“We hold that, when a prosecutor makes an unconditional promise of non-prosecution, and when the defendant relies upon that guarantee to the detriment of his constitutional right not to testify, the principle of fundamental fairness that undergirds due process of law in our criminal justice system demands that the promise be enforced,” Justice David Norman Wecht wrote. The court’s decision prevents Cosby from facing any future criminal charges related to Constand’s case.

Constand and her lawyers described Cosby’s release as “disappointing,” and expressed concern that that it may discourage survivors of sexual assault from pursuing legal action. “Despite the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision, this was an important fight for justice,” said Gloria Allred, the famed women’s rights lawyer who represented many of Cosby’s accusers. “Even though the court overturned the conviction on technical grounds, it did not vindicate Bill Cosby’s conduct and should not be interpreted as a statement or a finding that he did not engage in the acts of which he has been accused,” she added.

Read Full Article
Text By
Share this article

What to Read Next

Bask in the Mediterranean Sun at Chanel's Saint Tropez Seasonal Boutique
Fashion

Bask in the Mediterranean Sun at Chanel's Saint Tropez Seasonal Boutique

Hosted at the private townhouse, “La Mistralée.”

Fiorucci Dives Into the Deep Sea With “Cosmic Waters” Collection
Fashion

Fiorucci Dives Into the Deep Sea With “Cosmic Waters” Collection

Inspired by underwater adventures.

Diptyque Releases Two Limited-Edition Candles in Partnership With Villa Noailles
Beauty

Diptyque Releases Two Limited-Edition Candles in Partnership With Villa Noailles

Arriving in two scents, Lilac and Rosemary.

The Best Fourth of July Sales of 2021
Fashion 

The Best Fourth of July Sales of 2021

Fashion, beauty and tech deals you don’t want to miss.

Judge Denies Britney Spears' Request To Remove Father From Conservatorship
Culture

Judge Denies Britney Spears' Request To Remove Father From Conservatorship

Jamie Spears will retain control over the pop star’s estate.

Off-White™ Delves Into Kidswear With FW21 Collection
Fashion

Off-White™ Delves Into Kidswear With FW21 Collection

For kids aged between 4 and 12.

Molley May Talks Art, Building a Creative Career and the Importance of Experimentation
Art 

Molley May Talks Art, Building a Creative Career and the Importance of Experimentation

The artist is one of many mentors making creative education more accessible.

SUPERZERO Launches Game-Changing Eco-Hair Bars for Textured Hair
Beauty

SUPERZERO Launches Game-Changing Eco-Hair Bars for Textured Hair

Catering to those with hair types 3C, 4A, 4B and 4C.

The Tie-Dye Nail Art Trend Is Here To Stay
Beauty 

The Tie-Dye Nail Art Trend Is Here To Stay

Follow this tutorial to achieve colorful, statement summer nails.

AMBUSH’s SS22 Collection Ventures Into Nature
Fashion

AMBUSH’s SS22 Collection Ventures Into Nature

Yoon Ahn takes us from the city streets to the wilderness.

More ▾
 

Looks like you’re using an ad-blocker

We charge advertisers instead of our readers. Support us by whitelisting our site.

Whitelist Us

How to Whitelist Us

screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlock icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Under “Pause on this site” click “Always”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlock Plus icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Block ads on – This website” switch off the toggle to turn it from blue to gray.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlocker Ultimate icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Switch off the toggle to turn it from “Enabled on this site” to “Disabled on this site”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the Ghostery icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Click on the “Ad-Blocking” button at the bottom. It will turn gray and the text above will go from “ON” to “OFF”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the UBlock Origin icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Click on the large blue power icon at the top.
  3. When it turns gray, click the refresh icon that has appeared next to it or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the icon of the ad-blocker extension installed on your browser.You’ll usually find this icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. You may have more than one ad-blocker installed.
  2. Follow the instructions for disabling the ad blocker on the site you’re viewing.You may have to select a menu option or click a button.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.