Bill Cosby set free
Current Affairs
Bill Cosby was released from prison today after sexual assault charges against him were overturned by Pennsylvania’s highest court.
During the revolutionary #metoo movement, 60 women came out accusing Cosby of rape. In April 2018, he was sentenced to 3–10 years of imprisonment on three counts of aggravated indecent assault, where the 2005 admission served as pivotal evidence.
More than 60 women had accused him of either sexual assault, rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, child sexual abuse, or sexual misconduct.
Bill Cosby was one of the biggest entertainers in the world, along with one of the first and biggest African American comedians to be widely accepted in the world (majorly in the US).
With the earliest accusation against him dating back to the 1960s, it wasn’t until 2005 that he faced a trial against Andrea Constand, and admitted to giving Quaalude (an illegal seductive drug) to a number of young women and having ‘casual sex’ with them, but “he wouldn’t call it rape”.
The prosecutor in the case (the one representing the victims), Bruce Castor, entered into a non-prosecution agreement with Cosby — to help his client win damages. This ensured that Cosby’s admission could never be used against him in court. Later, the case reached a settlement.
Interestingly, Bruce Castor was also part of Former US President Donald Trump’s infamous second impeachment trial.
Cosby’s admission to providing drugs led to his conviction for sexual assault, which was then overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court due to violations of Cosby’s due process rights, where the court used evidence from the non-prosecution agreement.
Cosby was released on 30th June 2021.
Although Cosby isn’t exonerated, this certainly is a huge setback to society’s fight against rape and sexual assault. Coming out to share the worst moments of their life, especially against someone powerful takes a lot of courage. Technical loopholes like these allow rapists to prey on the weak, and makes the victims “think twice”.
- 60+ women had accused one man of rape
- 60+ women had to relive the worst moments of their life
- 60+ women had their personal lives & families exposed to the society
Yet the rapist is now free.
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