How Long Was Bill Cosby In Prison?
On June 30, 2021, Bill Cosby was released from prison. The 83-year-old disgraced comedian walked out of the State Correctional Institution Phoenix in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania as a free man.
To be clear, Cosby wasn't released because he was wrongly convicted or because he was found not guilty. Rather, Cosby's conviction was overturned because of a legal deal with former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor — the same Bruce Castor who would go on to defend ex-President Donald Trump in his impeachment hearings. According to the deal, which has no evidence of ever being committed to writing per AP News, Cosby could make incriminating statements in a civil trial that one of his victims, Andrea Constand, brought against him, but he wouldn't be prosecuted for them. However, Castor's successor Kevin R. Steele used those statements to prosecute Cosby in 2015.
So, at the end of the day, how long was Bill Cosby in prison? Here's what we found out.
Bill Cosby was in jail for a total of three years
According to TODAY, Cosby served just a little under three years — out of a possible ten — of his prison sentence. Cosby was sentenced on charges of aggravated indecent assault, but the disgraced comedian always insisted that he didn't do anything wrong. "I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence. Thank you to all my fans, supporters and friends who stood by me through this ordeal. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law," he wrote on Twitter.
In a statement provided to ABC News, however, Andrea Constand maintains that there was a miscarriage of justice with Cosby's release. "Today's majority decision regarding Bill Cosby is not only disappointing but of concern in that it may discourage those who seek justice for sexual assault in the criminal justice system from reporting or participating in the prosecution of the assailant or may force a victim to choose between filing either a criminal or civil action," she said. The outlet also notes that Cosby will not and cannot be tried again on the same charges.
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).