Bill Cosby is set to be out of jail soon after his sexual assault conviction was overturned by Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court today (June 30).
The 83-year-old comedian, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women throughout the years, is currently serving a three to ten-year sentence on three charges of aggravated indecent assault at a state prison near Philadelphia. He has always maintained his innocence.
Bill Cosby's Sentence Has Been Overturned By Pennsylvania's Higher Court
Cosby’s sexual assault case stemmed from an accusation that he drugged and molested former basketball player and Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004.
Today's court ruling resulted from an agreement Cosby struck with district attorney Bruce Castor in 2005. At the time, Castor — known for having represented Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial — declined to prosecute Cosby in exchange for the latter’s testimony during a civil trial.
The justices ruled that the agreement prevented prosecution for the claims brought by Constand and wrote that the prosecutorial discretion of Pennsylvania’s district attorneys was not “free of the constraints of due process”.
Just last month, Cosby was denied parole after he refused to undergo therapy for sex offenders.
Twitter Is Shocked At Bill Cosby Getting Out Of Jail
Social media users are almost unanimously shocked at the decision, taking to Twitter to voice their anger.
“F**k Bill Cosby. Still. Forever. I believe survivors. Ignore the trolls. I said what I said,” was another comment.
“THIS man is the reason Bill Cosby is free. Bruce Castor is a former prosecutor who defended Trump in his impeachment trial and promised Bill Cosby in 2005 that he wouldn't prosecute him,” another tweet reads.
“R. Kelly definitely calling Bill Cosby lawyers right now,” one user wrote, hinting at the singer currently in prison on 22 charges, including child sexual exploitation and child pornography production.
A minority seems to support the ruling, conflating Cosby's sexual assault case and the outrage over the high number of Black men incarcerated in the US.
"It's amazing how many people who babble about 'over-incarceration' and specifically the number of black men in prison are furious that Bill Cosby is getting out. I thought we were supposed to abolish prisons!" one user noted.
The majority of users, however, are upset at the court's decision, deemed a blow to sexual assault survivors.
"Two things. 1. Bill Cosby's conviction was not overturned on "legal technicalities." It was overturned because of errors made by Pennsylvania prosecutors to introduce evidence that went far beyond the scope of the crimes charged. 2. This does not mean he is innocent," one user reminded everyone.
"Bill Cosby was convicted of it and got released 2 years later. Trump bragged about it and was never even charged. This is why women hesitate to come forward about sexual assault, in case it was still unclear," reads another tweet.