Bill Cosby's Accusers React To News Of His Release From Prison

BYAron A.5.3K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

Accusers of Bill Cosby speak out after news of the comedian's sexual assault conviction getting overturned.

Bill Cosby is officially a free man but that doesn't necessarily mean that he's innocent. The sexual assault conviction that sent him to prison was overturned today due to a technicality and the case has been officially closed. 

Mark Davis/Getty Images 

Several of his accusers have emerged to denounce the decision to release him from prison. Victoria Valentino said that the decision came from nowhere and felt that it was a "gut punch" to vacate his sentence. 

Other accusers spoke to TMZ following news of Cosby's release, claiming that he's still a threat to society. Sammie Mays, who accused Cosby of drugging and assaulting her in the 80s, said that the decision is "disrespectful and despicable" to Andrea Constand, the accuser who took him to court.

Former Playmate model who accused Cosby of groping her, Sarita Butterfield, added, "I'm surprised and shocked with today's news of Cosby's release. It seems the justice system served the criminal, in this case, as opposed to the victims."

"At this point, I just hope that he took time to reflect on the pain and anguish his actions caused so many women," she continued. "And, also puts in the work towards becoming a better person."

Meanwhile, the lawyer representing several of Cosby's accusers shared her concerns for the alleged victims. She said the conviction being overturned "should not be interpreted as a statement or a finding that he did not engage in the acts of which he has been accused."

[Via]


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.