Bill Cosby was sentenced to serve a three to 10 year bid in state prison by Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill earlier today. The legendary comedian, actor and former television superstar was sentenced after being found guilty of three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault in April in one of the most widely publicized trials in modern history.
He was facing a 30 year maximum sentence, but District Attorney Kevin Steel asked ONeill to sentence Cosby, 81, to five to 10 years in state prison. Cosbys defense team argued that even that would cause excessive hardship to the elderly star.
Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years
A Pennsylvania judge has sentenced Bill Cosby to three to 10 years in state prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand.
What does an 81-year-old man do in prison? attorney Joseph Green asked the court. How does he fight off the people who are trying to extort him…?”
His accuser, Andrea Constand, along with the more than 60 women with allegations against him , argued that he didn’t deserve a pass for his crimes due to his age and status.
I wasn’t sure what had actually happened but the pain spoke volumes, Constand said in an impact statement to the court. The shame was overwhelming. Self-doubt and confusion kept me from turning to my family or friends as I normally did. I felt completely alone, unable to trust anyone, including myself.
Cosby’s lengthy trial resulted in one mistrial and an eventual guilty verdict, over accusations from Constand, a former Temple University employee. He was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting her at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004.
The judge ruled on Cosby’s “sexually violent predator” status after a psychologist for the state testified that the entertainer appears to have a mental disorder that gives him an uncontrollable urge to have sex with women without their consent.
Cosby is the first celebrity of the #MeToo era to be sent to prison.
