Bill Cosby's sex assault conviction has been overturned, leading to his release from prison.
According to Bloomberg, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned the conviction "after finding an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented him from being charged in the case." Cosby's original sentence was for three-ten years, though he ultimately only served over two of those years. The conviction against the 83-year-old Cosby involved drugging and molesting a Temple University employee.
Legal analysts and reporters were quick to point out that the decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court does not mean Bill Cosby was proven innocent or guilty. Rather, Cosby's Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination was violated by prosecutors.
Cosby's co-star on The Bill Cosby Show, Phylicia Rashad, also voiced her support for the actor's conviction being overturned.
Before the 12-year statute of limitations expired, Cosby was arrested and charged in late 2015 after unsealed evidence was revealed by a prosecutor. His first trial ended when the jury deadlocked after the judge allowed one accuser to testify. The second retrial judge allowed five more accusers to testify.
Bill Cosby previously requested an early prison release in March 2020, citing fears over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Source: Bloomberg
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