Bill Cosby: 83-Year-Old Comedian off the Hook After Court Overturns Conviction
- "America's Dad", Bill Cosby has had his conviction for drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004 overturned
- Cosby had been convicted in 2015 shortly before the statute of limitations of 12 years for the crime expired
- Pennsylvania's highest court had overturned Cosby's conviction after it agreed with a previous prosecutor's decision
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!
Pennsylvania’s highest court has ruled that Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction is to be overturned. Cosby had served just two years of his sentence that was set to last anywhere between three to ten years.
According to The Huffington Post, Cosby has said that he would rather serve all ten years of his sentence than show any sign of remorse over his interactions with Andrea Constand in 2004.
Source: Getty Images
The 83-year-old comedian had been convicted of drugging and assaulting Constand at his home.
He was charged in 2015 shortly before the statute of limitations expired which had a limit of 12 years in this case.
Case overturned by Pennsylvania's highest court
BBC News reported that Pennsylvania's highest court had overturned Cosby's conviction after it found that a previous prosecutor's decision that the comedian should not be tried was correct.
The judges had determined that testimonies from witnesses and accused unrelated to the case had unduly influenced the trial.
With his sentence overturned he is to be discharged from custody.
Bill Cosby denied parole earlier in 2021
Earlier, it was reported that Bill Cosby was reportedly been denied parole in May 2021. The Pennsylvania Parole Board said it took a lot of factors into consideration when it ruled against the old comedian.
The board said the US actor didn't take part in a treatment programme for sex offenders and he failed to develop a parole release plan. The media personality was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of aggravated indecent assault of Andrea Constand at his home his 2004.
TMZ reports that Cosby's representative, Andrew Wyatt, told the publication that the star was not surprised by the recent decision because members of the board told him he would not be granted parole if he didn't participate in the sex offender programme.
A statement posted on Cosby's Instagram page said he continues to remain hopeful that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court will issue an opinion to vacate his conviction or warrant him a new trial.
Enjoy reading our stories?
Join YEN.com.gh's Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!
Source: YEN.com.gh
Naa Ayeley Aryee Naa Ayeley is a creative writer with over ten years of experience in journalism and media. She started writing for YEN in 2017 as an editor on the entertainment desk and later became a monitoring editor.
Aba Afful (Copyeditor) Maame Aba serves as a copy editor at YEN.com.gh. She naturally enjoys working with words and has an eye for quality content. She has a keen interest in cyberspace and wants to see YEN.com.gh produce more impactful, thought-provoking, and error-free content. Aba has five years of experience as a content writer, blogger, author, and proofreader. She graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2017. She joined the team in 2021.
