Editing Bill Cosby (section)

=== Aftermath ===
[[File:Bill Cosby Protest in Kitchener, Ontario (15604932994).jpg|thumb|Demonstrators protesting against Cosby in [[Kitchener, Ontario]], Canada|226x226px]]Cosby has repeatedly denied the allegations and maintained his innocence. In November 2014, he responded to a question about the allegations and said: "I don't talk about it."<ref name="maya">{{cite news|last1=Rhodan|first1=Maya|title=Bill Cosby on Rape Allegations: 'I Don't Talk About It'|url=https://time.com/3596545/cosby-responds-rape-allegations-ap-video/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=November 20, 2014|access-date=December 6, 2015}}</ref> In past interviews that were made public, Cosby declined to discuss the accusations.<ref name="KFORTV" /> However, he told ''[[Florida Today]]'': "People shouldn't have to go through that and shouldn't answer to innuendos."<ref name="KFORTV">{{cite news|title=Bill Cosby defiant about answering sexual assault allegations|url=http://kfor.com/2014/11/23/bill-cosby-defiant-about-answering-sexual-assault-allegations|publisher=KFOR-TV|date=November 23, 2014 |access-date=May 20, 2015}}</ref> In May 2015, he said: "I have been in this business 52 years and I've never seen anything like this. Reality is a situation and I can't speak."<ref name="theweek_555357">{{cite magazine|first=Stephanie|last=Talmadge|title=Bill Cosby addresses sexual misconduct allegations for the first time|url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/555357/bill-cosby-addresses-sexual-misconduct-allegations-first-time|magazine=[[The Week]]|date=May 15, 2015|access-date=May 16, 2015}}</ref>

In the wake of the allegations, numerous organizations have severed ties with Cosby, and honors and titles that were previously awarded to him have been revoked. Reruns of ''The Cosby Show'' and other shows featuring Cosby have also been pulled from syndication by many organizations. Twenty-five colleges and universities have rescinded honorary degrees.<ref name="Holley">{{cite news |last=Holley |first=Peter |date=December 1, 2014 |title=Colleges cut ties with Bill Cosby as the list of women accusing him of sexual assault hits 20 |newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/style-blog/wp/2014/11/28/colleges-cut-ties-with-bill-cosby-as-the-list-of-women-accusing-him-of-sexual-assault-hits-20/ |access-date=September 27, 2015}}</ref>

In July 2015, PAVE: Promoting Awareness and Victim Empowerment, a nonprofit group focusing on sexual assault prevention, launched a [[We the People (petitioning system)|WhiteHouse.gov petition]], calling upon President [[Barack Obama]] to revoke Cosby's [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] (which Cosby received from President [[George W. Bush]] in July 2002).<ref name="whitehouse petition">{{cite news |date=July 8, 2015 |title=Asked About Cosby Scandal, Obama Weighs In on a Sexual Violence Discussion |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/247230-group-calls-on-obama-to-strip-bill-cosbys-presidential-medal-of-freedom/ |access-date=January 29, 2016 |newspaper=The Hill}}</ref> Later the same month, in response to a question at a news conference, President Obama said:

{{blockquote|There's no precedent for revoking a medal. We don't have that mechanism. And, as you know, I tend to make it a policy not to comment on the specifics of cases where there might still be, if not criminal, then civil, issues involved. ''[long pause]'' I'll say this, if you give a woman, or a man for that matter, without his or her knowledge, a drug, and then have sex with that person without consent, that's rape. And I think this country, any civilized country, should have no tolerance for rape.<ref name="nytob">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/us/obama-wades-into-growing-sexual-scandal-surrounding-bill-cosby.html|title=Asked About Cosby Scandal, Obama Weighs In on a Sexual Violence Discussion |last=Shear |first=Michael |date=July 16, 2015 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=July 16, 2015}}</ref>}}

==== Trial, conviction, and conviction overturn ====
With the exception of Andrea Constand's allegations, most of the sexual assault allegations against Cosby have fallen outside of the [[statute of limitations|statutes of limitations]] for [[criminal prosecution]].<ref name="WintonR">{{cite news|first1=Richard|last1=Winton|title=Bill Cosby's admission on Quaaludes may spur lawsuits against him, legal experts say|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bill-cosby-deposition-20150707-story.html|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 7, 2015|access-date=July 9, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Ax|first1=Joseph|last2=Stempel|first2=Jonathan|date=June 30, 2021|title=Bill Cosby home from prison after court reverses sexual assault conviction|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/bill-cosbys-sexual-assault-conviction-is-overturned-2021-06-30/|access-date=July 2, 2021|publisher=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> Numerous [[civil lawsuit]]s have been brought against him.<ref name="WintonR" /><ref name="AIG_Lawsuit">{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/bill-cosby-tells-judge-insurer-threatening-defense-against-135010455.html|title=Bill Cosby Tells Judge That Insurer Is Threatening His Defense Against Accusers|magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=September 15, 2015|access-date=September 15, 2015}}</ref> Attorney [[Gloria Allred]] has represented 33 of Cosby's alleged victims. In July 2015, some of the court records from [[Andrea Constand]]'s 2005 civil suit against Cosby were unsealed and released to the public. The full transcript of his deposition was also released to the media by a court reporting service. In his testimony, Cosby admitted to [[casual sex]] with a series of young women involving the recreational use of the [[sedative]] [[methaqualone]] (Quaalude); he further acknowledged that his dispensation of the prescription drug was illegal.<ref name="Moghe">{{cite news |last=Moghe |first=Sonia |title=Cosby deposition: Quaaludes came from L.A. gynecologist |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/24/us/cosby-deposition-quaaludes/ |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=July 24, 2015 |access-date=July 26, 2015}}</ref><ref name="NYT71815">{{cite news|first1=Graham|last1=Bowley|first2=Sydney|last2=Ember|title=Bill Cosby, in Deposition, Said Drugs and Fame Helped Him Seduce Women |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/arts/bill-cosby-deposition-reveals-calculated-pursuit-of-young-women-using-fame-drugs-and-deceit.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 18, 2015|access-date=July 19, 2015|quote=...{{nbsp}}he presented himself in the deposition as an unapologetic, cavalier playboy, someone who used a combination of fame, apparent concern and powerful sedatives in a calculated pursuit of young women{{nbsp}}... He admitted to giving young women Quaaludes at that time 'the same as a person would say have a drink', he said, but not without their knowledge.}}</ref><ref name="Allred_33_AllegedVictims">{{cite news|first=Rodney|last=Ho|title=Gloria Allred wins Cobb Energy Bill Cosby concert protest case|url=http://radiotvtalk.blog.myajc.com/2016/09/09/gloria-allred-wins-cobb-energy-bill-cosby-concert-protest-case/|publisher=MyAgc|date=September 9, 2016|access-date=September 9, 2016|archive-date=September 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911013439/http://radiotvtalk.blog.myajc.com/2016/09/09/gloria-allred-wins-cobb-energy-bill-cosby-concert-protest-case/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On April 26, 2018, following a jury trial, Cosby was found guilty of three counts of [[aggravated indecent assault]] against Andrea Constand. An initial trial on the charges had ended in a mistrial when the jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Eric|last1=Levenson|first2=Aaron|last2=Cooper|title=Bill Cosby guilty on all three counts in indecent assault trial|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/26/us/bill-cosby-trial/index.html|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=April 26, 2018|access-date=April 26, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Kate|last=Reilly|url=https://time.com/4346387/bill-cosby-andrea-constand-sex-assault-accusation/ |title=What Makes This Bill Cosby Accusation Different From Others |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=May 16, 2018 |access-date=August 17, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Millhiser" /> On September 25, 2018, he was sentenced to three to ten years in state prison and a $25,000 fine, together with court costs of both trials.<ref name="NewYorkTimes">{{cite news|last1=Bowely|first1=Graham|last2=Coscarelli|first2=Joe|date=September 25, 2018|title=Bill Cosby, Once a Model of Fatherhood, Is Sentenced to Prison|language=en|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/25/arts/television/bill-cosby-sentencing.html|access-date=February 5, 2021}}</ref><ref name="BBCNews">{{cite news|date=September 25, 2018|title=Cosby sentenced to prison for sex assault|language=en-GB|publisher=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45644374|access-date=February 5, 2021}}</ref><ref name="ABCNews">Francescani, Chris; Hutchinson, Bill (September 25, 2018). [https://abcnews.go.com/US/da-asks-judge-give-bill-cosby-maximum-sentence/story?id=58063006 "Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years in state prison with no bail during appeals"]. [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]. Retrieved September 26, 2018.</ref> After a brief period in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, Cosby was moved to a state prison, [[SCI Phoenix]] in [[Skippack Township, Pennsylvania]], on September 25, 2018, where he was confined to a single cell.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Meg|last1=Wagner|first2=Brian|last2=Ries|first3=Jessie|last3=Yeung|first4=Eric|last4=Levenson|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/bill-cosby-sentencing/index.html|title=Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years|publisher=[[CNN]] |date=September 25, 2018|access-date=September 26, 2018|quote=On Tuesday afternoon, Bill Cosby [...]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/bill-cosby-now-inmate-nn7687-placed-in-single-cell/ar-AAAFunS?li=BBnb7Kz |title=Bill Cosby, now inmate NN7687, placed in single cell |publisher=[[MSN]] |date=September 26, 2018 |access-date=January 31, 2019}}</ref> On January 28, 2019, Cosby was moved from administrative segregation into the general population.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bill Cosby, isolated no more, joins other inmates in prison |first=Graham |last=Bowley |newspaper=[[Toronto Star]] |date=February 6, 2019 |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2019/02/06/bill-cosby-isolated-no-more-joins-other-inmates-in-prison.html|quote=But last week authorities moved him from so-called administrative segregation to join the general population in a wing that houses other inmates, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.}}</ref> On December 10, 2019, the verdict was upheld by the [[Pennsylvania Superior Court]] on the initial level of appeal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bill Cosby loses appeal on sex-crimes conviction |first=Maria |last=Puente |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |date=December 10, 2019 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2019/12/10/bill-cosby-loses-appeal-sex-crimes-conviction/4383819002/}}</ref>

On June 23, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed to hear a further level of appeal of Cosby's sexual assault conviction based on questions about testimony from a witness being "more prejudicial than probative". The court would hear his appeal on arguments of whether it was proper for the judge to allow five [[Witness|prosecution witnesses]] to testify in the case about prior, unrelated instances of sexual assault, and to permit the jury to learn of a [[Deposition (law)|deposition]] in which Cosby admitted to giving Quaaludes to other women in the past to facilitate sexual encounters. The court also agreed to review whether Cosby's rights were violated by being prosecuted in the Constand matter, after a former prosecutor had informed Cosby that he would not be prosecuted for the assault, resulting in Cosby's agreeing to testify without claiming his self-incrimination privilege in his accuser's civil lawsuit.<ref>{{cite news |last=Li |first=David K. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bill-cosby-allowed-appeal-sexual-assault-conviction-pennsylvania-supreme-court-n1231900 |title=Bill Cosby allowed to appeal sexual assault conviction before Pennsylvania Supreme Court |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=June 23, 2020 |access-date=June 23, 2020}}</ref>

On June 30, 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned Cosby's conviction, citing violations of his due process rights.<ref name="Millhiser" /> According to Justice [[David Wecht]], "Even though society has a strong interest in prosecuting crimes, it has an even stronger interest in ensuring that the constitutional rights of the people are vindicated."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/01/arts/television/bill-cosby-conviction-overturned-why.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/01/arts/television/bill-cosby-conviction-overturned-why.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|title=Bill Cosby's Release From Prison, Explained|first=Charlie|last=Savage|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 1, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The following situation was cited: previously in February 2005, District Attorney [[Bruce Castor]] declared in a press release that due to insufficient evidence rendering a conviction "unattainable", he "declines to authorize the filing of criminal charges" against Cosby regarding allegations Andrea Constand made against him.<ref name="Millhiser">{{cite news |last1=Millhiser |first1=Ian |title=The court decision freeing Bill Cosby, explained as best we can |url=https://www.vox.com/22557691/bill-cosby-pennsylvania-released-commonwealth-david-wecht-andrea-constand-metoo-sexual-assault |access-date=July 1, 2021 |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |date=June 30, 2021}}</ref> Castor said he did so to compel Cosby to testify in a civil lawsuit, brought by Constand, without the right to not incriminate himself as accorded by the [[Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Weiss |first=Debra |title=Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction is overturned because of initial district attorney's decision |url=https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/bill-cosbys-sex-assault-conviction-is-overturned-because-of-initial-das-decision |access-date=July 4, 2021 |work=[[ABA Journal]] |date=June 30, 2021}}</ref> so that Constand could win [[damages]] from Cosby.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dale |first1=Maryclaire |last2=Richer |first2=Alanna |title=Why Bill Cosby's conviction was overturned |url=https://apnews.com/article/why-was-bill-cosby-conviction-overturned-2a65ec25c153fbd1c24b1c58a2b6e583 |access-date=July 7, 2021 |publisher=Associated Press |date=July 1, 2021}}</ref> Cosby testified that he had given Constand [[Benadryl]], and that he had separately provided [[Quaaludes]] to women he wanted to have sex with.<ref>{{cite news |last=Madani |first=Doha |title=60 women accused Bill Cosby. His conviction had been considered a big win for #MeToo |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/60-women-accused-bill-cosby-his-conviction-had-been-considered-n1272864 |access-date=July 4, 2021 |publisher=NBC News |date=July 1, 2021}}</ref> Cosby settled the civil lawsuit by paying $3.38 million.<ref name="nyt-overturned" /> Six of the seven Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices interpreted Castor's 2005 press release as a promise not to prosecute Cosby,<ref name="Millhiser" /> which led Cosby to provide testimony in his civil lawsuit that was later used as key evidence in his criminal trial;<ref name="nyt-overturned">{{cite news|last=Bowley|first=Graham|date=June 30, 2021|title=Bill Cosby to Be Freed as Court Overturns His Sex Assault Conviction|website=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/30/arts/television/bill-cosby-release-conviction.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/30/arts/television/bill-cosby-release-conviction.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=June 30, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> thus, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court concluded that Cosby's due process rights were violated.<ref name="Millhiser" /> The court further barred prosecution of Cosby "on these particular charges".<ref name="nyt-overturned" />

Cosby was released from prison on the same day that his conviction was overturned.<ref name="nyt-overturned" /> He had served nearly three years before Pennsylvania's Supreme Court overturned his conviction.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Court Opinions and Postings {{!}} Supreme Court {{!}} Courts {{!}} Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania |url=https://www.pacourts.us/courts/supreme-court/court-opinions|access-date=July 11, 2021|publisher=www.pacourts.us}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/06/30/bill-cosby-sexual-assault-conviction-overturned/|title=Bill Cosby released from prison after sexual assault conviction vacated by Pennsylvania Supreme Court|newspaper=The Washington Post|first1=Sonia|last1=Rao|first2=Paul|last2=Farhi|first3=Manuel|last3=Roig-Franzia|date=June 30, 2021|access-date=June 30, 2021}}</ref> In November 2021, the District Attorney filed papers with the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] seeking to have the Court consider whether to overturn the decision of the state supreme court. Cosby's attorney filed a response in late January 2022, urging the Supreme Court to decline review. On March 7, 2022, the court declined to review the decision of the Pennsylvania court.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/bill-cosby-supreme-court-fcee33c9b309e0e5253b76a18e8325ac|title=Court declines review of Cosby decision|date=March 7, 2022 |publisher=Associated Press|access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref>

Cosby's legal issues continued following his release from prison. In 2014, Judy Huth had filed a civil suit against Cosby in California, alleging that he had sexually assaulted her in 1975, when she was 16 years old. The trial began in 2022, and the jury ruled in Huth's favor. Cosby was ordered to pay $500,000 in compensatory damages.<ref name=":02"/>