By Mark Gray
6:03am PDT, Jul 2, 2021
Bill Cosby is a free man. On June 30, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned the comedian's felony sexual assault conviction nearly three years into his three-to-10-year prison sentence. The 83-year-old was discharged from state prison and driven home — he cannot be retried. In 2018, he was found guilty of drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand, a Temple University employee, at his home in 2004. According to the state's Supreme Court judges, Cosby should not have faced a criminal trial because a previous district attorney had years earlier agreed not to charge the man once known as America's Dad after he was deposed in a civil lawsuit that Andrea brought in 2005 in which he gave potentially incriminating testimony. The Supreme Court also disagreed with the trial judge's decision to let five other women testify to prove a pattern of abuse. In layman's terms, the high court said the disgraced comedian's rights were violated. Following his release, many in Hollywood reacted with disgust — though at least one person was thrilled.
Keep reading to see what the entertainment world is saying on social media…
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"My heart breaks today for all survivors & especially for those souls who survived monstrous abuse from Bill Cosby. To the warriors who were brave enough to come forward, thank you. Please know you are not alone. You did not share your truth for nothing. We stand with you all" –Kerry Washington
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"FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!" former "The Cosby Show" star Phylicia Rashad initially tweeted. Then, amid backlash, she added this statement: "I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing."
"Phylicia what are you thinking!!! I don't know you but to say this was terribly wrong. EVERYONE knew what he was doing back then. How could you NOT! Get your umbrella sista here comes the s*** shower. I am outraged that he has been released. Yes he is an old a** guilty man! … I would have said he's old he's out and I'm happy for him, but he still …guilty. I know 5 women who have not come forward. Enough Ya'll we know better. Powerful men do wrong things, black or white…" –"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" alum Janet Hubert responded to Phylicia Rashad
"I'm angry. I'm angry they let him out over a procedural," Cosby accuser Janice Dickinson told "Entertainment Tonight." "I can't get into the legalese about it. I can only speak from my heart and say that the statute of limitations is not fair. It's just not fair." She added that when she heard the new of Cosby's release, "I felt like I was kicked in the stomach, in my abdomen, by some psychic blow."
"I am furious to hear this news. I personally know women who this man drugged and raped while unconscious. Shame on the court and this decision," Amber Tamblyn tweeted. "I don't want to hear anything about how cancel culture ruined men's lives during the MeToo era reckoning for women and survivors. How we went too far. Today's news that Cosby's conviction is being overturned is proof we haven't gone far enough. Our justice system MUST change."
"Cosby drugged and raped 60 women. Do they not deserve 'fairness' and justice? This is why people don't come forward. This is why urging people to 'press charges' falls short, as long as wealthy & powerful men can rape & sexually assault people for decades with impunity," Padma Lakshmi wrote in a photo post on social media. She added, "I know this news is re-traumatizing for a lot of us. The fact is, our legal system is pay to play and always has been. Decisions like these essentially normalize rape and sexual violence towards women and prevent future survivors from speaking out. This was a miscarriage of justice by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that will have lasting, horrific effects. @timesupnow #metoo." –Padma Lakshmi
"Cosby being free and Britney not being free today is a wild world to be in. " –Jameela Jamil
"Did Bill Cosby drug the PA Supreme Court?" –Dianne Warren
"To every woman who was sexual assaulted by #BillCosby my heart hurts for you today and I am full fury. It's horrifying." –Debra Messing
"WHEN will things get better for women and girls regarding sexual assault, sexism, misogyny and ageism? What will it take? So discouraged." —Kathy Griffin
"#BillCosby being released from prison on a technicality is a complete miscarriage of justice & will never be an exoneration for the brutal crimes he committed against women. The world is now woke & women will no longer be silenced. You should be ashamed of yourself," Gretchen Carlson tweeted, also telling Phylicia Rashad that she should be "ashamed of [herself]" for supporting the decision.
"Told you so on #BillCosby. He was convicted by a court so tainted by public opinion and social pressure that it allowed obviously prejudicial evidence and improper witnesses. He may be a bad guy, but in this case he was railroaded by the mob. Cosby served two years on a case that a previous prosecutor promised would never be brought. And to allow the testimony of five other accusers was-legally speaking-outrageous. And if you're p****** off now, wait until the Appeals Court in NY reverses #HarveyWeinstein's conviction." –Geraldo Rivera
"Bill Cosby is STILL an evil rapist. the end. I wonder how many people are lining up to make deals with Cosby. too many people in Hollywood protect predator rapists and pretend to care about survivors but they really don't. Bill Cosby was not put in prison because he was a Black man he was put in prison because he drugged and raped many women for decades," Rosanna Arquette tweeted. She later added, "When I was a kid I listened to Bill Cosby's comedy records I was a big fan. As an adult I found out he drugged and raped 60 women who bravely came forward (I'm sure there are many more) His charges still stand he's a rapist and always will be he's not a funny man."
"I GUESS 70 WOMEN WERENT ENOUGH" –Rosie O'Donnell
"I'm enraged, heartbroken and disgusted by Cosby's release. I can only imagine what all his survivors must be feeling. This convicted rapist is free today because he is a man of privilege. The Patriarchy rears its ugly head yet again." –Christine Lahti
"Those of us who have experienced abuse and assault are pretty inured to injustice, to perpetrators going unpunished and being protected by lawyers and law enforcement. Add money and power to that equation and injustice is a fait accompli. But the Cosby travesty still hurt." –Alex Winter
"All you rapist apologists can get TF out my timeline. Don't worry, I'll show you out." –Aisha Tyler
"My son Bill beat that case" –50 Cent wrote in a since-deleted tweet
"I stand with all of Bill Cosby's accusers on this dark day." –Rose McGowan
"The sad thing is that they will shield Cosby from reading or watching any media coverage on himself and he will die thinking he got away with it all." –Devon Sawa
"Heartbreaking for all survivors. #MeToo lasts forever" –Ellen Barkin
"My heart goes out to Bill Cosby's victims."–Richard Marx
"WHAT?!? What a travesty. My sympathy to all those brave women who came forward only to now be assaulted again." –Paul Stanley
#JuneTeenth2021 and #Cosby being released are cool, but it ain't #PoliceReform" –D.L. Hughley
"Rich, powerful, sexual predator, Jeffrey Epstein got a sweetheart deal from then US attorney, Alex Acosta. Rich, powerful, sexual-predator Bill Cosby got a sweet-heart, no-prosecution deal from a prosecutor and is getting out of jail. Anybody else see a pattern, here?" –Ana Navarro-Cardenas
"Bill Cosby is going free… released from prison today. WOW" –Donald Trump Jr.
"Who are these people surrounding #BillCosby? Really ladies? Who are you?" –Sandra Bernhard
"SIXTY [and 10 fire emojis]." –Kristen Johnston, referring to the number of women who appeared on a New York magazine cover after publicly accusing Cosby of sexual misconduct
"This decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court today to overturn the conviction of Bill Cosby must be devastating for Bill Cosby's accusers. My heart especially goes out to those who bravely testified in both of his criminal cases. I represented a majority of the prior bad act accusers who testified. Despite the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision, this was an important fight for justice and even though the court overturned the conviction on technical grounds, it did not vindicate Bill Cosby's conduct and should not be interpreted as a statement or a finding that he did not engage in the acts of which he has been accused." –famed attorney Gloria Allred, who represents a number of Cosby's accusers
