Bill Cosby Walks Free After His Assault Charges Are Dropped, US Court Will Not Revisit the Case
- The Cosby Show star Bill Cosby is now a free man after the US Supreme Court threw out his conviction
- The 84-year-old comedian and actor was released from prison last year after serving two years for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand
- The court's decision to free Bill Cosby has been received with mixed feelings by rape victims and women's organisations
Bill Cosby can now enjoy the rest of his life as a free man, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision to throw out his case. This comes after prosecutors challenged the Pennsylvania court's decision to release the comedian from prison.
Source: Getty Images
Cosby was released from prison last year after serving only a fraction of his sentence. He was released because the highest court in Pennsylvania ruled that the comedian was not supposed to have been arrested.
According to News24, the I Spy star was convicted in 2018 after being found guilty of drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, a former employee of his alma mater, Temple University, in 2004.
His arrest was a major success for the #MeToo movement that had become popular for exposing sexual misconduct of men in powerful positions in different industries, TimesLive reports. Daily Mail adds that Cosby's case was thrown out last year after the Pennsylvania court ruled that the prosecutor who revived the case was bound by a previous agreement between the comedian and his predecessor.
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This decision prompted the prosecutor to take the matter to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court refused to revisit the case, a move that was welcomed by Cosby and his family. According to Daily Mail, the comedian's spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, released a statement thanking the justice department.
"On behalf of Mr. & Mrs Cosby and the Cosby family, we would like to offer our sincere gratitude to the justices of the United States Supreme Court for following the rules of law and protecting the Constitutional rights of ALL American citizens of these United States."
R Kelly switches out legal counsel for the same attorney who represented Bill Cosby
In more related news, Legit.ng reported that The Storm is Over singer R Kelly reportedly parted ways with his legal counsel and has enlisted Jennifer Bonjean as his lawyer. Bonjean is the famous attorney who successfully appealed Bill Cosby's 2018 conviction and desperate R Kelly is hoping for the same result.
Kelly, who is currently waiting for his conviction after being found guilty of crimes that include sex with minors and racketeering, is set to appear before a jury on August 1, 2022.
Taking to Twitter, Bonjean confirmed that she will be representing the multi-award-winning singer and revealed his trial date.
Source: Legit.ng
Taiwo Owolawi (Entertainment Editor) Taiwo Owolawi is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with four years of work experience at Legit.ng. She graduated from Osun State University with a degree in English and International Studies in 2016. She has also moved on to pursue courses in Public Relations and Copywriting. Taiwo emerged as Legit.ng's Best Entertainment Editor in 2022. Contact: taiwo.owolawi@corp.legit.ng.
Khadijah Thabit (Copyeditor) Khadijah Thabit is an editor with over 3 years of experience editing and managing contents such as articles, blogs, newsletters and social leads. She has a BA in English and Literary Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Khadijah joined Legit.ng in September 2020 as a copyeditor and proofreader for the Human Interest, Current Affairs, Business, Sports and PR desks. As a grammar police, she develops her skills by reading novels and dictionaries. Email: khadeeejathabit@gmail.com
