The Real Reason Bill Cosby Was Just Denied Parole
The following article includes allegations of sexual assault.
Bill Cosby has fallen so far from the once lofty perch he once had as "America's Dad." The formerly beloved comedian, Jell-O spokesman, and wearer of ugly sweaters on "The Cosby Show" was once beyond reproach. Then women, from multiple decades, started coming out of the woodwork. In the end, 60 women (per USA Today) accused Cosby of rape, using drugs to commit sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual misconduct, and child sexual abuse dating back to the mid-1960s, per Slate. Although the accusations against Cosby were outside of the statute of limitations, they do seem to establish a pattern of behavior.
On April 26, 2018, Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault after a trial by jury, per CNN. He was sentenced to three to ten years in prison the following September. He appealed the verdict but it was upheld in December 2019, per USA Today.
Ever since then, Cosby has been working every angle to try to secure his release. This May, he was denied parole and the reason for that points to why he got into this whole mess. Keep reading to find out what the judge said.
Bill Cosby took his case to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Bill Cosby has been denied parole by the Pennsylvania State Parole Board on the grounds that, for one thing, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections strongly recommended against it. The other reason is that Cosby refused to take part in a treatment program for sex offenders, even though The Pennsylvania State Parole Board met with Cosby and made it clear that if he didn't participate in the program his parole would be denied, per Deadline.
According to court documents, the Parole Board wrote: "Following an interview with you and a review of your file, and having considered all matters required pursuant to the parole board, in the exercise of its discretion, has determined at this time that: you are denied parole ..." Reps for Cosby released a statement of their own: "Mr. Cosby has vehemently proclaimed his innocence and continues to deny all allegations made against him, as being false, without the sheer evidence of any proof. Today, Mr. Cosby continues to remain hopeful that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court will issue an opinion to vacate his conviction or warrant him a new trial."
However, Cosby did get one thing that he wanted. Per NBC News, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is allowing Cosby to appeal his conviction on the grounds that statements made about Cosby drugging women in civil court were used against him in criminal court (past crimes are inadmissible evidence by law).
Bill Cosby knew his odds didn't look good
Bill Cosby wasn't surprised by the court's decision to deny him parole, according to his spokesman Andrew Wyatt.
As Reuters reported, the disgraced comedian knew the terms that the court had recommended and was aware that his request would be turned down. "We knew he was going to be rejected," Wyatt admitted in a statement. "He called me and told me that if he didn't take the course, he would be denied. He has maintained his innocence from the beginning."
It's also possible that Cosby would have been denied parole regardless of whether he agreed to take the program, due to the recommendation that the state Department of Corrections made against parole. Per Reuters, Laura Treaster, a spokeswoman for the state parole board, noted that the sitcom star would also have to keep his conduct record completely clear, as well as develop a "parole release plan."
Bill Cosby's team says that he's doing 'okay' in prison
Although Bill Cosby's prison record isn't public information, the public did get a shocking look at how he was doing when a mugshot went viral in October 2020.
As Page Six reported, many people were disturbed by the formerly beloved star's appearance after his mugshot was shared, although some Twitter users argued that given his sexual assault charges, he didn't deserve their sympathy. A follow-up picture was posted on Cosby's official Twitter, showing him during a virtual video conference call with his publicist Andrew Wyatt. "We are posting this to reassure his family and supporters that he is doing ok during this pandemic," the team behind his social media presence wrote.
Following the news about Cosby's parole being denied, Wyatt stated that the comedian was still doing relatively well in prison, per Reuters. "He's hopeful," the spokesperson revealed, sharing that Cosby was optimistic about the Supreme Court appeal. "He's cool as a cucumber."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).