Bill Cosby is free again. But why did a court overturn its sexual assault conviction?
In 2018, Bill Cosby, 83, was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault and was later sentenced to between three and ten years in prison. Now the actor and comedian who became a superstar in the 1980s and 1990s with “The Bill Cosby Show” is again at large. His conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court.
How come?
Cosby was found guilty of drugging and sexually abusing a woman in 2004. The actor had denied the allegations. More than 60 women had also made similar allegations against the now 83-year-old. The court now ruled that Cosby’s conviction was invalid.
A prosecutor investigating the case in 2005 had promised not to prosecute the actor should he testify in a civil case. In the process, Cosby settled out of court and paid more than $ 3.3 million.
In 2015, however, a successor to the then public prosecutor initiated criminal proceedings. The court also dealt with statements by Cosby from the civil proceedings, which, in the opinion of the Supreme Court, should not have been allowed under the agreement – as well as the descriptions of five women who testified during the trial.
How it goes on
Cosby was released shortly after the sentence was overturned. This case may no longer be reopened in court. Many of the other women’s allegations had previously been statute barred, which is why the process was limited to this one case.
After his release, Cosby spoke up on Twitter, reaffirming his innocence: “I’ve never changed my attitude or my story.” He thanked his fans, friends and supporters as well as the Supreme Court “for upholding the rule of law”.
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