Bill Cosby Walks Free After Supreme Court Of Pennsylvania Overturns His 2018 Sexual Assault Guilty Verdict
US comedian Bill Cosby left prison hours after his sexual assault conviction was overturned by Pennsylvania's Supreme Court. The judges said there had been a "process violation" by the prosecution, but admitted their ruling was unusual, reported BBC. Cosby, 83, served more than two years of a three to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia. In 2018 he was found guilty of drugging and molesting ex-basketball player Andrea Constand. Cosby is best known for starring in the 1980s TV series The Cosby Show and was once known as "America's Dad". Dozens of women have publicly accused Cosby of sexual assault, but he was only tried criminally for the incident against Constand. His conviction in 2018 was widely seen as a landmark moment in the #MeToo movement. In a verdict issued on June 30, Pennsylvania's highest court found there was a "process violation" because Cosby's lawyers had made an agreement with a previous state prosecutor that he would not be charged in the case. The White House did not have a “direct response” on June 30, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, but she stressed the administration’s support for survivors of sexual assault. Bill Cosby accuser Victoria Valentino expressed outrage after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided to overturn his conviction. Watch the video to know more.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 01, 2021 12:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).