Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction has been overturned.
Gatekeepers News reports that Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court has overturned US comedian, Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction, paving way for his release.
83-year-old Cosby has served more than two years of a three to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia.
In 2004, the Comedian was found guilty of drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, an ex-basketball player.
Although dozens of women had publically accused him of sexual assault, he was only tried criminally for the incident against Andrea Constand.
In 2018, Cosby’s conviction was widely seen as a landmark moment in the #MeToo movement.
Pennsylvania’s highest court has, however, found there was a “process violation” because the Comedian had agreed with a previous state prosecutor that he would not be charged in the case.
However, in 2015 a new prosecutor filed charges after testimony from a civil lawsuit was brought by Andrea Constand against the actor was revealed.
The 79-page finding read in part, “There is only one remedy that can completely restore Cosby to the status quo ante. He must be discharged, and any future prosecution on these particular charges must be barred.”
The judges also found that testimony from accusers unrelated to the case had also tainted the trial.
The court said, “Cosby’s convictions and judgment of sentence are vacated, and he is discharged.”
Cosby is best known for starring in the 1980s TV series The Cosby Show and was once known as “America’s Dad”.
