On June 30, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned actor Bill Cosby's sexual assault
conviction, and he was subsequently released from prison after serving three years of his
three-to-10 year sentence. He was in prison after being convicted on charges of drugging
and sexually assaulting Temple University sports administrator Andrea Constand in 2004.
As the Associated Press noted, a split court found that Cosby's initial trial was unfair
— given that the prosecutor who arrested Cosby, District Attorney Kevin Steele, was
supposed to uphold a promise that his predecessor made that the actor wouldn't be charged. However,
the outlet reports that there was no evidence the promise was in writing.
And so the court ruled in 2021 that Cosby was allegedly operating under the impression
that the promise would hold when he was arrested in 2015 — just days before the statute of
limitations would run out on the civil charge — and he reportedly gave incriminating evidence
against himself at his trial. The court ruled that,
"[Cosby's conviction was] an affront to fundamental fairness, particularly when it results in
a criminal prosecution that was forgone for more than a decade."
"Today, innocence came to Mr. Cosby."
Cosby's conviction, and the misconduct accusations that 60 different women have leveled against
him in total, shattered his reputation, and severed his ties with many of his long-time
friends and co-stars.
One of those co-stars, however, Phylicia Rashad, who played his wife on the long running sitcom
The Cosby Show, spoke out on Twitter after his release — and her response greatly upset
fans. After news broke that Cosby would be released from prison, Rashad tweeted,
"FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!"
Rashad has supported her former co-star for years, alleging that Cosby was being charged
in the court of public opinion long before the case even landed in an actual court. As
she told ABC News in 2015,
"There is the Constitution of the United States, which ensures innocence until proof of guilt,
and that has not happened. But what has happened is declaration in the media of guilt, without
proof. And a legacy is being destroyed because of it. This is not about the women. This is
about something else. This is about the obliteration of a legacy."
It's clear that Rashad now feels her friend has been vindicated, but the internet is furious
with her response. SVU: Criminal Intent showrunner Warren Leight posted on Twitter,
"So the DOZENS of women who came forward ALL lied. Horrible enabler's take from PhyliciaRashad."
Another user posted,
"This is a straight-up garbage tweet from Phylicia Rashad."
Others are deeply concerned about her new role as Dean of the College of Fine Arts at
Howard University. One post read,
"I shudder for the safety of all of the women (and all students, frankly) at HowardU if
this is the public position being taken by an HU dean regarding a man with 50-plus KNOWN
[accusers]."
Rashad, who graduated from the private, federally chartered college in Washington D.C. in 1970,
was announced as the school's new dean in May 2021.
One former student expressed her frustration on the social media platform and provided
a link for resources, posting,
"As a HowardU School of Fine Arts alum, and as a survivor, this tweet from PhyliciaRashad
is disappointing. I hope we can have a dean who believes & respects survivors."
Just hours after the Cosby Show alum caused an uproar for calling Cosby's controversial
early release from prison a "[corrected] miscarriage of justice," Rashad took to Twitter to clear
up her message, posting,
"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."
Rashad concluded her tweet by saying her "heartfelt wish is for healing," but Twitter users didn't
hold back when speaking out against the star's semi-apology. One tweet read, in part,
"Healing looks like justice. Your friend drugged and abused over 50 WOMEN. I'm so disappointed."
Other Twitter users suggested Rashad's role as the incoming dean of Howard University
be reviewed and reconsidered, posting,
"It was more than insensitive. Defending a monster because he is a friend. Today's decision
doesn't exonerate Cosby. He was still found guilty. He is free on a technicality. Period.
Let's hope Howard University sees the light. You should not be near our daughters."
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).