Wednesday, June 30, 2021

HOLLYWEIRDERS - DON'T THEY MAKE YOU WANT TO VOMIT? - PHYLICIA RASHAD GETS BEHIND SERIAL RAPIST BILL COSBY OUT ON TECHNICALITY

A Hulu documentary released this year titled Framing Britney Spears outlined decades of alleged abuse by Hollywood insiders, paparazzi, and her father.

Britney Spears Denied Request to Remove Father as Conservator

Britney Spears attends the Clive Davis and The Recording Academy Pre-Grammy Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
Rich Fury/Invision/AP
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Pop superstar Britney Spears’ request to replace her father’s conservatorship with a financial institution was denied by a Los Angeles, California, judge on Wednesday.

UPI reports filed court documents deny “without prejudice” the 39-year-old singer’s request to replace her father with private wealth management firm Bessemer Trust Company of California, as the sole conservator of her estate.

The rejection comes less than a week after Spears testified she faced abuse at the hands of her family and her conservatorship has forced her to use birth control, which has prevented her from having a third child, as Breitbart News reported.

She was placed under the complex legal arrangement – usually reserved for the very old and infirm – after suffering a series of mental breakdowns.

During the hearing, Spears directly addressed the court, asking it to end the conservatorship that has controlled her life and finances since 2008 by giving her father, 68-year-old James Parnell Spears, total power over her multimillion-dollar estate.

The court rejected the “Toxic” singer’s request finding her to be “substantially unable to manage his or her financial resources or to resist fraud or undue influence.”

Spears’ conservatorship has led to a massive fan-based movement supporting the pop icon, referred to on social media as “Free Britney.”

A Hulu documentary released this year titled Framing Britney Spears outlined decades of alleged abuse by Hollywood insiders, paparazzi, and her father.

Fellow pop singer Iggy Azalea responded to Wednesday’s decision on Twitter, stating it is “basic human decency” to remove Jamie Spears from the conservatorship of her “Pretty Girls” collaborator.

“This is not right at all,” she said.

Bill Cosby's Cosby Show co-star Phylicia Rashad tweets her support: 'FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!'

  • She tweeted support for her co star shortly after his sexual assault conviction was overturned Wednesday 
  • The two worked together on all eight seasons of the Emmy Award-winning sitcom from 1984 to 1992
  • Rashad has expressed support for her former co-star in the past despite the allegations against him 
  • She was recently named dean of the Howard University College of Fine Arts
  • Others Cosby Show cast have expressed support for the star, including Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played his on-screen daughter  
  • Reactions from the entertainment world were varied, with many expressing outrage, and some support  

Cosby Show co-star Phylicia Rashad tweeted her support for her longtime colleague Bill Cosby shortly after his sexual assault conviction was overturned Wednesday.

'FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!' she wrote in the tweet posted at 1.30pm. 

Rashad played Claire Huxtable, the wife of Cosby's character Cliff Huxtable, on all eight seasons, from 1984 to 1992, of the Emmy Award-winning sitcom. 

Rashad, who was recently named dean of the Howard University College of Fine Arts, has supported her former co-star in the past despite the allegations against him.  

Phylicia Rashad tweeted her support for her longtime Cosby Show colleague Bill Cosby shortly after his sexual assault conviction was overturned Wednesday

Phylicia Rashad tweeted her support for her longtime Cosby Show colleague Bill Cosby shortly after his sexual assault conviction was overturned Wednesday

Cosby, shortly after his release from the SCI Phoenix prison today

Cosby, shortly after his release from the SCI Phoenix prison today 

Cosby, 83, was released from the SCI Phoenix prison in Skippack Township today after Pennsylvania's Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction in a surprise decision.  

He has served more than two years of a three- to 10-year sentence after being found guilty of drugging and violating Temple University sports administrator Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.  

He was arrested in 2015, and was the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era. 

Rashad, 72, had been quick to defend her former colleague after the allegations first surfaced, and has gone so far as to suggest the accusers against Cosby had ulterior motives.

Rashad played Claire Huxtable, the wife of Cosby's character Cliff Huxtable, on all eight seasons of the Emmy Award-winning sitcom

Rashad played Claire Huxtable, the wife of Cosby's character Cliff Huxtable, on all eight seasons of the Emmy Award-winning sitcom

Rashad has defended her former co-star in the past

Rashad has defended her former co-star in the past

In a 2015 interview with ABC Rashad went so far as to suggest the accusers against Cosby had ulterior motives

In a 2015 interview with ABC Rashad went so far as to suggest the accusers against Cosby had ulterior motives 

'What you're seeing is the destruction of a legacy. And I think it's orchestrated. I don't know why or who's doing it, but it's the legacy. And it's a legacy that is so important to the culture,' she famously said in a 2015 interview with ABC. 'This show represented America to the outside world. This was the American family. And now you're seeing it being destroyed. Why?' 

She would appear to double down on her stance, even after the conviction. 

'I just don’t accept what somebody says because they say it, and they say it in a loud voice,' Rashad said of Cosby in an October, 2020 interview with Bustle. 'The internet has given a lot of anonymous people a very loud voice. And this, too, has happened before.' 

Other cast members of the Cosby Show have also defended the on-screen patriarch. 

Other cast members of the Cosby Show have also defended the on-screen patriarch such as Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played his daughter, Rudy

Other cast members of the Cosby Show have also defended the on-screen patriarch such as Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played his daughter, Rudy

Cosby with Pulliam on set of the show in 1990

Cosby with Pulliam on set of the show in 1990

Pulliam even once escorted Cosby to the courthouse during his 2017 trial

Pulliam even once escorted Cosby to the courthouse during his 2017 trial 

'Whoever is involved, those are the people who were there. I wasn't there. I can only speak to the great man that I know and love, who has been so generous, who has been such a philanthropist and giving back millions of dollars to education and schools,' Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played Cosby's daughter Rudy, said in a 2015 interview with Access Hollywood

The actress would even once escort Cosby to the courthouse during his 2017 trial.

'Unfortunately, in the court of public opinion everyone has formed their opinion, but we're still in America and you're innocent until proven guilty of any crimes,' she said.  

Not everyone in the entertainment world celebrated today's surprise development. 

'I am furious to hear this news,' General Hospital star Amber Tamblyn wrote on Twitter. 'I personally know women who this man drugged and raped while unconscious. Shame on the court and this decision.'

'To every woman who was sexual assaulted by #BillCosby my heart hurts for you today and I am full fury,'  Will & Grace star Debra Messing tweeted. 'It's horrifying.'

Reactions from the entertainment world were varied, with most expressing outrage

Reactions from the entertainment world were varied, with most expressing outrage 

'I know many young women and men who are so Afraid to press charges against their rapist and Re traumatize themselves I am heartbroken today to hear of the news of Cosby´s release .this is sickening. My heart is with my sister survivors. We have work to do,' actress Rosanna Arquette tweeted. 

'WHEN will things get better for women and girls regarding sexual assault, sexism, misogyny and ageism? What will it take? So discourage,' posted comedian Kathy Griffin. 

'Cosby drugged and raped 60 women,' tweeted Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi. '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' 

Others, however, were supportive. 

Others, however, expressed support, albeit some of it tepid

Others, however, expressed support, albeit some of it tepid 

Singer Jennifer Hudson was among the more than 3,000 people who liked the tweet shortly after it was published.

Additionally, comedian Lil Duval tweeted: 'Bill Cosby about to be free! City boy win summer 2021!' 

He also defended Rashad, tweeting, 'y'ass mad at the great Phylicia Rashad too huh?' 

Former talk show host Geraldo Rivera was more circumspect - not commenting on whether Cosby should be free based on guilt or innocence, but on what he saw as the errors of the trial. 

'Told you so on #BillCosby,' tweeted Geraldo Rivera. '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.' 


Quentin Tarantino: ‘I Wish I Had Done More’ to Stop Harvey Weinstein, ‘Everybody’ Knew About It

HOLLYWOOD - AUGUST 10: Director Quentin Tarantino (L) and producer Harvey Weinstein arrive at the premiere of Weinstein Co.'s 'Inglourious Basterds' held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on August 10, 2009 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
2:52

Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino, in a recent interview with Joe Rogan, reflected on his decades-long relationship with the disgraced movie mogul and Democrat party mega-donor turned convicted Hollywood sex offender Harvey Weinstein. The Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood helmer said he “didn’t know about any rapes” but wished he’d sat Weinstein down and “had the uncomfortable conversation.”

 

“It’s sad. He wasn’t just this guy who financed my movies. He was kind of like a father figure. I mean, he was kind of a fucked up father figure, but that’s most people’s fucking fathers,” said Tarantino, whose string of cult classic indie films, from Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, catapulted him to A-list status in the early 90s.

Tarantino recalled a previous interview he had with the New York Times reporters who initially broke the Weinstein abuse story.

Producer Harvey Weinstein (L) and director Quentin Tarantino arrive to the premiere of “Grindhouse” at the Orpheum Theatre on March 26, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

“I wish had talked to the guy,” Tarantino said, echoing his remarks from the 2017 Times interview. “I wish I had sat him down and had the uncomfortable conversation.”

“I didn’t know about any rapes or anything like that,” he insisted. “But I knew he was — you know — I chalked it up to the boss chasing the secretary around the desk. As if that’s okay. But I mean, that’s how I kind of looked at it. He was making unwanted advances.”

“But I wish I had talked to him,” Tarantino reiterated. “I wish I had sat him down and gone, ‘Harvey you can’t do this. You’re gonna fuck up everything.'”

Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein and director Quentin Tarantino attend the Los Angeles premiere of the Miramax film “Kill Bill Volume 1” at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre September 29, 2003 in Hollywood, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Weinstein continued to distribute other Tarantino hits, including the Kill Bill series, Inglourious Basterds, and Django Unchained.

“There’s nobody who said they didn’t know that didn’t know,” Tarantino said. “If you were in his orbit — and that includes all the big actors who he paled around with — they all knew.”

“They all knew,” the director reiterated, adding, “they probably didn’t know anything about rapes, but they had heard things.”

In 2017, Tarantino admitted to have previously heard about the inappropriate behavior of his longtime friend and collaborator.

“I knew enough to do more than I did,” Tarantino said at the time. “There was more to it than just the normal rumors, the normal gossip. It wasn’t secondhand. I knew he did a couple of these things.”

Last year, Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape. Earlier this month, a New York judge approved his extradition to California, where he faces additional sexual assault charges.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.


Bill Cosby’s Release from Prison Provokes Condemnation But Also Support from Co-Star Phylicia Rashad

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Matt Rourke-Pool/Getty Images)

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction and release the star from prison has provoked widespread condemnation but also full-throated support from his longtime co-star Phylicia Rashad, who celebrated the news.

Bill Cosby reportedly left prison Wednesday afternoon after Pennsylvania’s highest court vacated the star’s sex assault conviction. The court found that Cosby’s deal with a previous prosecutor, which prevented the actor from being charged in the case in exchange for testimony to be used in a civil case, was not honored by a subsequent prosecutor.

The 83-year-old actor-comedian had served two years of a three- to ten-year sentence at a prison near Philadelphia. In addition to the sexual assault accusations brought by Andrea Constand, he has faced close to five dozen other accusations from women who have claimed the Hollywood star drugged and assaulted them.

The Cosby Show actress Phylicia Rashad surprised many on Wednesday when she tweeted her support for her former co-star, praising the court’s decision.

Rashad later said “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.”

Actress Debra Messing disputed former Clinton adviser Peter Daou’s assertion calling out people who are furious at Bill Cosby walking free but who have given President Joe Biden “a pass for multiple accusations of sexual misconduct.”

Rosanna Arquette tweeted that Cosby “is STILL an evil rapist.”

Songwriter Diane Warren wondered if Cosby drugged the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Actress Mia Farrow expressed her sympathy for the alleged victims of Bill Cosby.

Writer E. Jean Carroll tweeted her condemnation of the court’s decision, saying “THIS is why women do not come forward.” Carroll has accused Donald Trump of raping her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in New York nearly 25 years ago when she was 52.

Actress Patricia Arquette responded to E. Jean Carroll’s tweet by saying “Corruption. Money and power.”

Feminist author Jessica Valenti posted a series of tweets expressing her rage at the court’s decision.

Rosie O’Donnell tweeted “fuck u” to Bill Cosby.

Actress Amber Tamblyn claimed the court’s decision is “proof” that women “haven’t gone far enough” in terms of the #MeToo movement.

Chicago Hope star Christine Lahti tweeted, “The Patriarchy rears its ugly head yet again.”

Actor Joshua Malina took issue with Phylicia Rashad’s defense of Bill Cosby.

Mrs. Doubtfire screenwriter Randi Mayem Singer also expressed her disbelief in the court’s decision.

Disney star Josh Gad raged at the PA Supreme Court.

Comedian Chelsea Handler

Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com


Harvey Weinstein's lawyers praise decision to release Bill Cosby from prison and say they're 'confident' the disgraced Hollywood mogul's conviction will also be overturned

  • Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction was overturned by Pennsylvania's Supreme Court on Wednesday
  • Cosby was released from SCI Phoenix after serving two years behind bars 
  • Harvey Weinstein's lawyers tell DailyMail.com that the overturned conviction 'reaffirms our confidence' that Weinstein will be cleared as well 
  • Weinstein, 69, was found guilty in February 2000 after a two month trial in what was seen as a landmark case in the #MeToo movement
  • Attorney Arthur Aidala said that the decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court showed that courts could 'come to the correct decision' if allowed to
  • Aidala said that he was sure that the Appellate Division in New York will  be overturned because of the 'abundance of issues that cry out for a reversal'

Harvey Weinstein's lawyers have said that Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction being overturned 'reaffirms our confidence' that the disgraced movie producer will be cleared too.

Attorney Arthur Aidala told DailyMail.com that Wednesday's decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court showed that courts could 'come to the correct decision' if allowed to. 

Aidala said that he was sure that the Appellate Division in New York, where Weinstein lodged his appeal against his conviction and 23 year jail sentence, will be overturned because of the 'abundance of issues that cry out for a reversal'.

Weinstein, 69, was found guilty in February 2000 after a two month trial in what was seen as a landmark case in the #MeToo movement.

Apart from Cosby, 83, Weinstein was the most high profile person found guilty in court following the wave of allegations of sexual misconduct against powerful men.

Harvey Weinstein's lawyers tell DailyMail.com that Cosby's overturned conviction 'reaffirms our confidence' that Weinstein will be cleared as well

Harvey Weinstein's lawyers tell DailyMail.com that Cosby's overturned conviction 'reaffirms our confidence' that Weinstein will be cleared as well

Bill Cosby arrives at his home directly after his release from prison on Wednesday.

Bill Cosby arrives at his home directly after his release from prison on Wednesday.

Cosby walks to address the media after arriving home Wednesday from his release

Cosby walks to address the media after arriving home Wednesday from his release

Cosby's attorneys had raised a concern on appeal about the decision by the trial judge to allow five other accusers to testify about their experiences with Cosby in the 1980s.

Attorney Arthur Aidala said that the decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court showed that courts could 'come to the correct decision' if allowed to

Attorney Arthur Aidala said that the decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court showed that courts could 'come to the correct decision' if allowed to

The women were brought to the court to establish what prosecutors said was a pattern of behavior on Cosby's part.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices voiced concern not just about sex assault cases, but what they saw as the judiciary's increasing tendency to allow testimony that crosses the line into character attacks.

However, the court did not formally rule on the issue of the character witnesses, because a separate legal question, on Cosby's prior non-prosecution deal, rendered the question moot. 

In Weinstein's case, the judge also allowed women whose character allegations did not directly relate to the charges to testify under a similar arrangement as in the Cosby trial.

In a statement, Aidala said: 'In reversing the conviction of Bill Cosby, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has demonstrated, once again, that no matter who a defendant may be and no matter the nature of the crime, courts can be relied upon to follow the law and come to the correct decision.

'This decision also reaffirms our confidence that the Appellate Division in New York will reach the similarly correct decision in Harvey Weinstein's appeal, considering the abundance of issues that cry out for a reversal'.

Weinstein was convicted of one count of criminal sexual act on former production assistant Mimi Haleyi, for which he could be jailed for up to 25 years.

He was also found guilty of one count of third degree rape in relation to Jessica Mann, who was an aspiring actress at the time.

Weinstein, 69, was found guilty in February 2000 after a two month trial in what was seen as a landmark case in the #MeToo movement

Weinstein, 69, was found guilty in February 2000 after a two month trial in what was seen as a landmark case in the #MeToo movement

Among the other women who gave evidence against Weinstein, even though he was not criminally charged for their allegations, was Sopranos actress Anabella Sciorra

Among the other women who gave evidence against Weinstein, even though he was not criminally charged for their allegations, was Sopranos actress Anabella Sciorra

Among the other women who gave evidence against Weinstein, even though he was not criminally charged for their allegations, was Sopranos actress Anabella Sciorra.

She alleged that Weinstein barged into her apartment in the winter of 1993-1994 and raped her despite her telling him to stop.

Weinstein is currently serving his sentence at the Wende Correctional facility in upstate New York.

Earlier this month a judge approved his extradition to Los Angeles where he faces nearly a dozen sex crimes.

LA prosecutors have accused him of 11 felony counts of sexual assault, including forcible rape, against five women dating back to 2004.

He has pleaded not guilty to all the allegations.

Weinstein's appeal to his New York conviction ran to 166 pages and cited a number of 'errors' that meant the trial was unfair.

The document said that the trial was 'tainted by a single juror who demonstrated a strong and disqualifying bias in favor of the prosecution' because she was writing a book about sexual harassment of younger women by older men.

The document also claimed that the testimony of women like Sciorra unfairly influenced the jury.

Could Cosby ruling impact Weinstein case? Disgraced mogul has already filed appeal challenging the character witnesses prosecutors brought forth at trial

At the heart of Wednesday's ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is a non-prosecution deal that Cosby made with prosecutors nearly a decade prior to his arrest.

By removing his right to protect himself against self-incrimination in criminal court, the deal forced Cosby to testify in a civil case brought by Andrea Constand, and Constand won a reported cash settlement of $3.38 million. 

But the deposition Cosby gave in the civil trial was unsealed in 2015 and used as evidence to criminally charge Cosby by District Attorney Kevin Steele, who succeeded the prosecutor who agreed not to prosecute Cosby.

Justice David Wecht, writing for a split court, said Cosby had relied on the former district attorney's decision not to charge him when the comedian gave his potentially incriminating testimony in the Constand's civil case, which was then used against him in violation of the non-prosecution deal.  

Cosby seems to crack a smile as he arrives home after being released from jail

Cosby seems to crack a smile as he arrives home after being released from jail

The court ruling on Wednesday called Cosby's arrest 'an affront to fundamental fairness, particularly when it results in a criminal prosecution that was forgone for more than a decade.' 

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court did not rule on Cosby's second issue of appeal, the question of whether it was appropriate for prosecutors to bring 'prior bad acts' character witnesses at trial, a move that Weinstein's prosecutors also used.

Even though Cosby was charged only with the assault on Constand, the trial judge allowed five other accusers to testify that they, too, were similarly victimized by Cosby in the 1980s in cases that were never prosecuted. 

Prosecutors called them as witnesses to establish what they said was a pattern of criminal behavior on Cosby's part -- a decision they justified by saying there was a 'signature' element to the alleged crimes.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices voiced concern about what they saw as the judiciary's increasing tendency to allow testimony that crosses the line into character attacks. 

State law allows 'prior bad acts' testimony only in limited cases, including to show a crime pattern so specific it serves to identify the perpetrator, for example in the case of a serial killer who leaves a unique signature of evidence.

But the court declined to say whether five other accusers should have been allowed to testify, considering it moot given the finding that Cosby should not have been prosecuted in the first place.

Even though Cosby was charged only with the assault on Constand (above), the trial judge allowed five other accusers to testify that they, too, were similarly victimized

Even though Cosby was charged only with the assault on Constand (above), the trial judge allowed five other accusers to testify that they, too, were similarly victimized

In New York, the judge presiding over last year´s trial of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, let four other 'prior bad acts' accusers testify. 

Weinstein was convicted and sentenced to 23 years in prison. He is now facing separate charges in California. 

His attorneys have already filed a sprawling 106-page appeal arguing that he did not receive a fair trial. One of their arguments is that the parade of character witnesses unfairly influenced the jury.

Legal experts expressed a range of reactions to Wednesday's ruling in the Cosby case.

Ari Melber, the chief legal correspondent for MSNBC, called the ruling 'bizarre' and 'controversial.' 

'This is absolutely wild, this is one of those rulings that may be technically legally valid... but it is a wild and at times bizarre road to get to this point,' he said in on-air commentary.

Tamara Lave, a law professor at the University of Miami School of Law, took an opposing view, praising the ruling as 'fantastic.' 

'Whatever you think about whether he did or didn't do it, everybody should rejoice in the decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court,' Lave told DailyMail.com in an interview, slamming Cosby's prosecutors for 'shocking behavior.'

'They prosecuted the Constand case using statements Cosby made because a prior prosecutor set it up so he couldn't invoke his 5th Amendment rights, and then bring in this parade of character witnesses,' she said.

Lave questioned the propriety of using 'prior bad acts' witnesses at trial, a controversial practice that is normally barred under the rules of evidence, but has gained popularity in sexual assault cases under certain exemptions. 

'In my opinion, it's very problematic evidence that deprives people of a right to a fair trial,' Lave said of the use of character witnesses. 

'He's not free because he is innocent': Bill Cosby's disgusted accusers speak out as he walks free from prison after sexual assault conviction is overturned

  • The disgraced comedian left prison Wednesday after serving less than 3 years for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in Pennsylvania in 2004
  • Pennsylvania's highest court threw out his conviction, ruling the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor's promise not to prosecute him 
  • The shock overturning of his sentence comes as a major blow to the at least 60 women who came forward to accuse the comedian of assault
  • Many of his alleged victims condemned his release Wednesday 
  • The attorney for model Janice Dickinson and two other accusers said they were 'disgusted' by the decision and called it a 'kick in the gut'
  • Accuser Victoria Valentino told DailyMail.com she could 'hardly find words' to describe 'everything is upside down' following the ruling 
  • Janice Baker-Kinney blasted Cosby a 'rapist' on Twitter and thanked the DA who had prosecuted him for saying his release 'is irrelevant to the facts of the crime'   
  • Alleged victim Sammie Mays told TMZ it 'shows that women do not have the respect of men' while Angela Leslie said 'the justice system served the criminal'

Bill Cosby's 'disgusted' accusers have described his release as a 'kick in the gut' as he walked free from prison Wednesday, just hours after his sexual assault conviction was overturned in a stunning ruling. 

Lisa Bloom, the attorney for three of the 83-year-old's alleged victims including model Janice Dickinson slammed the decision to throw out his conviction as evidence that the 'system still massively favors the rich and powerful'.

'He is not released because he is innocent,' she said in a statement on behalf of the women who she said were dealt a 'slap in the face' by the courts. 

Another accuser Beth Ferrier said the outcome does not prove her alleged attacker's innocence while fellow alleged victim Victoria Valentino told how her 'stomach lurched' on hearing Cosby was now free and could not be retried for his crimes.  

The disgraced comedian, once known as 'America's dad', left state prison in suburban Montgomery County Wednesday after serving less than three years of a three to 10 year sentence for drugging and sexually assaulting Temple University sports administrator Andrea Constand at his home in Pennsylvania in 2004.

His release came after Pennsylvania's highest court threw out his conviction, ruling that the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor's promise not to prosecute him.  

The shock overturning of his sentence comes as a major blow to the #MeToo movement and the at least 60 women who came forward to accuse the comedian of sexual assault and misconduct, with many of them speaking out Wednesday to condemn the ruling. 

Bill Cosby outside his home in Pennsylvania on Wednesday with his legal team after being released from prison

Bill Cosby outside his home in Pennsylvania on Wednesday with his legal team after being released from prison

Bill Cosby arrives home after being released from prison in Pennsylvania Wednesday

Bill Cosby arrives home after being released from prison in Pennsylvania Wednesday 

'The 3 Bill Cosby accusers I represent and I are disgusted that he is a free man today. He is not released because he is innocent,' said Lisa Bloom in a statement. 

'He is released because a prosecutor promised him years ago that he would not be brought to justice, without even making a deal for him to do time.'

Bloom commended Dickinson's 'brave decision' as one of five women who testified against Cosby at his 2018 trial as part of the prosecution's efforts to show a pattern of behavior.

'I will never forget my client Janice Dickinson's brave decision to testify as a 'prior bad acts' witness in Cosby's 2018 criminal trial. 

'She knew this could be used against her in her civil case. We decided we didn't care. Getting him criminally convicted was essential. 

'We prepared her for the ugly cross-examination that would come. We flew across the country, waited day after day for her turn,' she wrote. 

'I watched the other 'prior bad acts' witnesses testify magnificently. Then Janice's turn. She slayed. I was so proud of her and all the others.'

Dickinson testified that Cosby assaulted her in 1982 in Lake Tahoe when she was a 27-year-old model. 

Bloom continued: 'And of course, the victim in the case, Andrea Constand, so dignified, so strong, answering every demeaning question. The conviction. 

The attorney for three of the 83-year-old's alleged victims including model Janice Dickinson released a statement on Twitter saying they were 'disgusted' by the decision

The attorney for three of the 83-year-old's alleged victims including model Janice Dickinson released a statement on Twitter saying they were 'disgusted' by the decision

Janice Dickinson (seen in 2018 at Cosby's sentencing) testified at trial that Cosby assaulted her in 1982 in Lake Tahoe when she was a 27-year-old model

Janice Dickinson (seen in 2018 at Cosby's sentencing) testified at trial that Cosby assaulted her in 1982 in Lake Tahoe when she was a 27-year-old model

'We couldn't believe it: justice, a tiny bit, finally. And now this. A kick in the gut to victims and their advocates.' 

She added: 'Every day I fight for sexual assault victims and have to advise them of the ugly truth: the system still massively favors the rich and powerful. You need a superhuman level of strength and courage. 

'Luckily many victims have it. Any other Cosby victims, time to come forward!'

Accuser Victoria Valentino also spoke out Wednesday, telling DailyMail.com she could 'hardly find words' to describe what she was feeling after hearing the news. 

'I just heard and my stomach lurched. I'm so upset I can hardly find words,' she said.

'We had just gotten news that his parole had been denied and so we felt safe and now everything is upside down.'

Accuser Victoria Valentino (pictured) told DailyMail.com she could 'hardly find words' to describe what she was feeling after hearing the news
Janice Baker-Kinney wrote 'RAPIST #RAPIST #RAPIST' on Twitter

Accuser Victoria Valentino (pictured left) told DailyMail.com she could 'hardly find words' to describe what she was feeling after hearing the news. Janice Baker-Kinney (right) wrote 'RAPIST #RAPIST #RAPIST' on Twitter

Valentino told Good Morning America Cosby's history of alleged abuse was 'well known' in Hollywood

Valentino told Good Morning America Cosby's history of alleged abuse was 'well known' in Hollywood

Valentino told DailyMail.com she no longer feels safe knowing that the man she described as a 'serial sexual predator' was walking free after just three years behind bars.

'What is a woman's worth?' she questioned. 

'A legal glitch and now a serial sexual predator is free and I don't know how any of us who have spoken so publicly can feel safe.'  

Valentino was the sixteenth woman to come forward to accuse Cosby of assault.

She claimed he drugged her and a friend at a dinner in Hollywood before driving them to a nearby apartment where he sexually assaulted her in 1969.

Valentino told Good Morning America Cosby's history of alleged abuse was 'well known' in Hollywood. 

'After I went public after all this stuff came down, I got so many stories from so many other people and it was well known,' she said, adding that people would be told not 'never to go to the Cosby house without eating and drinking first and never to take anything from them to eat or drink.' 

Janice Baker-Kinney blasted Cosby a 'rapist' on Twitter and thanked the DA who had prosecuted him for saying his release 'is irrelevant to the facts of the crime'

Janice Baker-Kinney blasted Cosby a 'rapist' on Twitter and thanked the DA who had prosecuted him for saying his release 'is irrelevant to the facts of the crime'

TIMELINE OF THE CASE AGAINST COSBY

2004: Andrea Constand visits Cosby at his home and claims he drugs then sexually assaults her 

2005: Constand goes to the police with her claim and it becomes public that an investigation is underway 

FEB 17, 2005: Then Montgomery Co. DA Bruce Castor announces that after investigating her claims, he's not going to charge Cosby because he doesn't think there's evidence 

He encourages Constand to pursue civil action, to 'seek some justice' 

MARCH 2005: Constand sues Cosby and in civil depositions, he admits using quaaludes on women without their knowledge 

2005-2015: Dozens of women come forward in the media to claim Cosby assaulted them but no charges are brought 

DEC. 30, 2015:  Cosby is arrested, two weeks before the statute of limitations would have expired the case 

JUNE 5, 2017: First trial begins with only testimony from two women 

JUNE 17, 2017: Jury is deadlocked, mistrial declared

APRIL 2018: Second trial begins

APRIL 26: Cosby is convicted on 3 counts 

SEPTEMBER 25: Cosby is sentenced to between three and 10 years

DECEMBER: Cosby files a first appeal but it is rejected, his conviction is upheld  

JUNE 2020: PA Supreme Court says it'll hear his appeal 

JUNE 2021: Supreme Court overturns Cosby's conviction, he is freed immediately 

Valentino described Cosby as 'a sociopath' and 'a serial rapist' who had shown 'no sense of remorse' for his crimes. 

Beth Ferrier told the New York Post the decision to overturn the conviction of her alleged rapist was 'bulls**t' and warned that it sets 'a precedent.' 

'It's money and power. He's so guilty of what he did. It doesn't matter, and it sets a precedent,' she said, adding she was 'floored' by the ruling.  

'Is it because of power and money that he gets to do this?' 

Ferrier said she was now fearful that Cosby would profit from his prison stint by writing a book and would 'become world famous again.' 

She told how the 83-year-old 'took everything' from his alleged victims and needs to be 'held accountable' calling for a victims fund to be set up to pay for his crimes financially if he is not going to pay for them behind bars.

'He owes money to a victim fund. He should be held accountable,' she said, adding that he had never apologized to his victims.   

Ferrier had a brief consensual relationship with Cosby for a few months in 1984 before ending things with the comedian.

She said he then drugged her coffee and raped her in an incident in Denver.   

Ferrier also featured in Constand's civil suit brought against Cosby. 

One of Cosby's other alleged victims repeated her own accusations of him being a rapist on Twitter Wednesday. 

Janice Baker-Kinney shared an article about her alleged abuser's release and wrote: 'Bill Cosby's sex assault conviction overturned by court. #RAPIST #RAPIST #RAPIST.'

In a follow-up tweet she thanked District Attorney Kevin Steele for bringing the charges against Cosby in the first place. 

'DA Kevin Steele and his office has my eternal gratitude,' she penned, alongside a statement from the DA's office where he described the overturning of Cosby's conviction as 'a procedural issue that is irrelevant to the facts of the crime.' 

Baker-Kinney was also among Cosby's alleged victims who testified at trial, where she recounted an alleged incident in 1982 where she said she was given pills and passed out, before walking up the next day undressed next to Cosby in bed.

Another woman who said she was assaulted by Cosby in the 1980s told TMZ his release was 'disrespectful and despicable' to his victims and 'shows that women do not have the respect of men.'

Sammie Mays was working as a journalist when she said Cosby invited her to his suite for a drink in 1987.

She claimed she blacked out and woke up to find him assaulting her. 

Angela Leslie, who claimed Cosby groped himself with her hand in 1992, told TMZ Wednesday's decision shows 'the justice system served the criminal, in this case, as opposed to the victims.'

Leslie said she hoped his limited time behind bars had gone some way to teaching him to be a 'better person.'

Andrea Constand (center) is the woman Cosby was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting at his Pennsylvania home in 2008

Andrea Constand (center) is the woman Cosby was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting at his Pennsylvania home in 2008

Alleged victim Beth Ferrier and Gloria Allred (left and right) in 2015. Ferrier called the decision to overturn Cosby's conviction 'bulls**t' and warned that it sets 'a precedent'

Alleged victim Beth Ferrier and Gloria Allred (left and right) in 2015. Ferrier called the decision to overturn Cosby's conviction 'bulls**t' and warned that it sets 'a precedent'

'At this point, I just hope that he took time to reflect on the pain and anguish his actions caused so many women,' she said. 

'And, also puts in the work towards becoming a better person.' 

Attorney Gloria Allred, who represented several of Cosby's alleged victims, described the court's decision as 'devastating' for the women. 

'My heart especially goes out to those who bravely testified in both of his criminal cases,' Allred said in a statement. 

'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.' 

At least 60 women accused Cosby of assault but he was only convicted at his 2018 trial of sexually assaulting one woman - Andrea Constand who said he drugged and assaulted her in 2004.

None of the other allegations could be prosecuted because Pennsylvania's statute of limitations had passed.  

In Constand's case, the charges were brought just two weeks before the statute of limitations expired in 2015. 

Constand first reported the incident to police in 2005.   

But Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor, who went on to defend Donald Trump at his second impeachment trial, dropped the criminal case and told Constand to pursue a civil suit. 

Cosby was ordered to sit for a deposition for the suit and, in it, he confessed to drugging women with Quaaludes to get them to have sex with him. 

The deposition was used as evidence to charge Cosby one decade later.    

Bill Cosby, 83, flashes a peace sign at news crews as he arrives home on Wednesday after having his sexual assault conviction overturned by Pennsylvania's Supreme Court

Bill Cosby, 83, flashes a peace sign at news crews as he arrives home on Wednesday after having his sexual assault conviction overturned by Pennsylvania's Supreme Court

At his trial, five other alleged victims - Chelan Lasha, Janice Baker Kinney, Janice Dickinson, Lise-Lotte Lublin and Heidi Thomas - testified that he had also assaulted them. 

He was convicted of sexually assaulting Constand in 2018 and sentenced to between three and 10 years behind bars. 

Cosby claimed Castor had given him an 'immunity deal' and promised Cosby he wouldn't be charged. 

He said that was the only reason he gave the remarks in the deposition.   

There was no evidence that promise was ever put in writing.   

Cosby also argued the testimony of the other women meant 'the presumption of innocence just didn't exist for him.'

The court sided with Cosby Wednesday but only on the matter of Castor's promise, saying 'we do not address Cosby's other issue.' 

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court judges on Wednesday said the promise led the comedian to incriminate himself in the damning deposition.

The judges said Cosby was robbed of his fifth amendment right not to incriminate himself when he was deposed.

They said he had to be freed and cannot face prosecution on the charges again. 

Cosby returned to his home Wednesday and held a press conference with his legal team. 

The disgraced TV star did not speak at the briefing but one of his lawyers Brian Perry told reporters 'the system has to be fair, and fortunately the Supreme Court agreed with us.'   

THE 5 WHO TESTIFIED AGAINST COSBY AT TRIAL ABOUT OTHER 'INCIDENTS' 

Chelan Lasha

Chelan Lasha

Chelan Lasha 

Lasha testified about 1986 incident with Cosby when she was 17. 

She said he'd invited her to his room at the Las Vegas Hilton and told her he'd help her with her career. 

Janice Baker-Kinney

Janice Baker-Kinney

Janice Baker Kinney

Testified about a 1982 incident with Cosby in Reno. 

She said she was given pills, they played backgammon and she passed out then woke up the next day undressed, next to Cosby in bed  

Janice Dickinson

Janice Dickinson

Janice Dickinson 

Dickinson testified that Cosby assaulted her in 1982 in Lake Tahoe. 

She said: 'His robe opened...he smelled like cigar and espresso and his body odor. Here was America's Dad on top of me. A happily married man with five children, on top of me.' 

Lise-Lotte Lublin

Lise-Lotte Lublin

She was 27 at the time.  

Lise-Lotte Lublin 

She testified that Cosby gave her two drinks in his hotel room in Las Vegas in 1989. She said she remembers him stroking her hair but then she passed out.  

Heidi Thomas 

Heidi Thomas

Heidi Thomas

Thomas testified that she met Cosby in 1984 and that after taking one sip of wine he'd given her, she passed out. 

She said she woke up in his bed in a hotel room in Reno and that she was drowsy for days afterwards.

At least 60 women have testified against Cosby in total either in civil lawsuits or interviews 

 

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