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| Bill Cosby sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for sexual assault | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Disgraced TV star Bill Cosby was sentenced to between three and 10 years in prison on Tuesday for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman over a decade ago. | |
| Judge Steven O’Neill had already declared Bill Cosby a “sexually violent predator” on Tuesday morning, as a first step toward sentencing the 81-year-old comedian. | |
| He will serve at least three years in state prison. | |
| “It is time for justice,” O’Neill told the court early Tuesday afternoon. | |
| “Mr Cosby, your guilt has been determined by a jury. You were convicted of a very serious crime,” he said, adding that Cosby’s notoriety did not affect his ruling. | |
| “I’m not permitted to treat him any differently because of who he is, or who he was,” he said. “Of course, the higher the ascent the sharper the fall. I recognize that impact upon Mr Cosby, and I am sorry for that.” | |
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| The sexually violent predator classification means that Cosby must undergo monthly counseling for the rest of his life and report quarterly to authorities. His name will appear on a sex offender registry sent to neighbors, schools and victims. | |
| O’Neill had made the decision as he prepared to sentence Cosby for violating Temple University women’s basketball administrator Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia estate in 2004. | |
| “Mr Cosby, this has all circled back to you,” O’Neill said. “The time has come.” He quoted from victim Constand’s own statement to the court, in which she said Cosby took her “beautiful, young spirit and crushed it”. | |
| Cosby had declined the opportunity to address the court before the sentence came down, andknew he was facing prison as his punishment – after years of accusations that he abused dozens of women. | |
| O’Neill will hand down the sentence at the Montgomery county courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, at the end of the two-day hearing. Cosby does not plan to make a statement in court before his sentencing.Cosby did not testify at either of his two trials. | O’Neill will hand down the sentence at the Montgomery county courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, at the end of the two-day hearing. Cosby does not plan to make a statement in court before his sentencing.Cosby did not testify at either of his two trials. |
| Cosby was convicted earlier this year of three counts of aggravated indecent assault, becoming the first celebrity convicted on criminal charges since the 2017 advent of the #MeToo movement against sexual assault and harassment. | Cosby was convicted earlier this year of three counts of aggravated indecent assault, becoming the first celebrity convicted on criminal charges since the 2017 advent of the #MeToo movement against sexual assault and harassment. |
| In April, a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting Constand. | In April, a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting Constand. |
| In a victim impact statement released on Tuesday, Constand described how she was “at the top of her game” until the assault derailed her life. | In a victim impact statement released on Tuesday, Constand described how she was “at the top of her game” until the assault derailed her life. |
| “Life as I knew it came to abrupt halt,” she said. “The man I had come to know as a mentor and friend drugged and sexually assaulted me. Instead of being able to run, jump and pretty much do anything I wanted physically, during the assault I was paralyzed and completely helpless. I could not move my arms or legs. I couldn’t speak or even remain conscious. I was completely vulnerable, and powerless to protect myself.” | “Life as I knew it came to abrupt halt,” she said. “The man I had come to know as a mentor and friend drugged and sexually assaulted me. Instead of being able to run, jump and pretty much do anything I wanted physically, during the assault I was paralyzed and completely helpless. I could not move my arms or legs. I couldn’t speak or even remain conscious. I was completely vulnerable, and powerless to protect myself.” |
| After the assault, she said, “the shame was overwhelming” and she retreated. “I felt completely alone, unable to trust anyone, including myself,” she wrote. | After the assault, she said, “the shame was overwhelming” and she retreated. “I felt completely alone, unable to trust anyone, including myself,” she wrote. |
| Her job with the Temple University women’s basketball team still required her to interact with Cosby, a trustee at the school. “The sound of his voice over the phone felt like a knife going through my guts,” she said. | Her job with the Temple University women’s basketball team still required her to interact with Cosby, a trustee at the school. “The sound of his voice over the phone felt like a knife going through my guts,” she said. |
| Constand said her life remained in turmoil throughout a civil suit and two criminal trials, but she takes comfort in knowing Cosby has been brought down. “We may never know the full extent of his double life as a sexual predator, but his decades-long reign of terror as a serial rapist is over,” she wrote. | Constand said her life remained in turmoil throughout a civil suit and two criminal trials, but she takes comfort in knowing Cosby has been brought down. “We may never know the full extent of his double life as a sexual predator, but his decades-long reign of terror as a serial rapist is over,” she wrote. |
| Still, Constand said the toll has been heavy. “I’m a middle-aged woman who’s been stuck in a holding pattern for most of her adult life, unable to fully heal or to move forward,” she said. | Still, Constand said the toll has been heavy. “I’m a middle-aged woman who’s been stuck in a holding pattern for most of her adult life, unable to fully heal or to move forward,” she said. |
| “I want to get to the place where the person I was meant to be gets a second chance. I know that I still have room to grow.” | “I want to get to the place where the person I was meant to be gets a second chance. I know that I still have room to grow.” |
| The conviction and sentencing cap a precipitous fall for the man once known as “America’s Dad”, who starred in the popular Cosby Show in the 1980s and 90s. | The conviction and sentencing cap a precipitous fall for the man once known as “America’s Dad”, who starred in the popular Cosby Show in the 1980s and 90s. |
| Prosecutors asked for five to 10 years in state prison, citing the seriousness of his crime and his lack of remorse. Cosby’s lawyer asked for his sentence to be served as a continuation of his house arrest, saying he is “not dangerous” and too old and frail to spend time behind bars. On the first day of the sentencing hearing on Monday, Constand said she is asking for “justice as the court sees fit”. | Prosecutors asked for five to 10 years in state prison, citing the seriousness of his crime and his lack of remorse. Cosby’s lawyer asked for his sentence to be served as a continuation of his house arrest, saying he is “not dangerous” and too old and frail to spend time behind bars. On the first day of the sentencing hearing on Monday, Constand said she is asking for “justice as the court sees fit”. |
| Constand, who considered Cosby a friend and mentor at the time of the assault, testified that he gave her three blue pills, which caused her to pass out. She awoke to find Cosby penetrating her with his fingers, touching her breasts and placing her hand on his genitals. | Constand, who considered Cosby a friend and mentor at the time of the assault, testified that he gave her three blue pills, which caused her to pass out. She awoke to find Cosby penetrating her with his fingers, touching her breasts and placing her hand on his genitals. |
| Cosby denied wrongdoing, and says his relationship with Constand was consensual and the pills he offered her were simply the over-the-counter cold medication Benadryl. | Cosby denied wrongdoing, and says his relationship with Constand was consensual and the pills he offered her were simply the over-the-counter cold medication Benadryl. |
| Cosby, who has been portrayed by prosecutors as a criminal who has shown no remorse, intends to appeal against the verdict. | Cosby, who has been portrayed by prosecutors as a criminal who has shown no remorse, intends to appeal against the verdict. |
| A trial on the same charges last year ended in a mistrial with a hung jury. | A trial on the same charges last year ended in a mistrial with a hung jury. |
| A psychologist called by prosecutors on Monday said Cosby’s interest in “non-consenting women” added up to a mental disorder and he was likely to repeat his crimes, recommending that he get the predator designation. | A psychologist called by prosecutors on Monday said Cosby’s interest in “non-consenting women” added up to a mental disorder and he was likely to repeat his crimes, recommending that he get the predator designation. |
| The case is the only one to result in criminal charges against Cosby, but more than 60 women have said he abused or harassed them, with many saying he drugged them and then molested them while they were incapacitated. | The case is the only one to result in criminal charges against Cosby, but more than 60 women have said he abused or harassed them, with many saying he drugged them and then molested them while they were incapacitated. |
| Five other women testified at Cosby’s trial that they were assaulted. | Five other women testified at Cosby’s trial that they were assaulted. |
| The Associated Press contributed to this report | The Associated Press contributed to this report |
| Bill Cosby | Bill Cosby |
| US crime | US crime |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
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