Bill Cosby Found Guilty of Sexual Assault

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The verdict came after a jury of seven men and five women deliberated for an entire day. The jurors spent 12 days in the courtroom hearing lawyers’ arguments and witnesses’ testimonies, even stopping to ask the legal definition of consent. After being told that the state of Pennsylvania’s laws do not provide a definition, leaving things to their own discernment, the jury found the former The Cosby Show star guilty of drugging and molesting Andrea Constant — who became friends with Cosby after coming on as director of operations for the women’s team at Temple, the university Cosby attended in the early 60s — at his residence in 2004.

During the case, Constand shared her story alongside five other women, who also claimed that the father-of-five drugged and sexually assaulted them. According to TMZ, prosecutor Kirsten Feden even “blasted” Cosby for “smirking” while she talked about the witnesses to the court.

“He’s laughing like it’s funny, but there’s absolutely nothing funny about them being stripped of their capacity to consent,” she said.

As if his image couldn’t get any worse, Cosby also “shouted” at the prosectors after they requested that he be detained immediately because he owns a private plane and was a flight risk. According to “multiple people in the courtroom,” the actor yelled, “He doesn’t have a private plane, you a**hole!”

Despite the prosecution’s request, Cosby was released on a $1 million bail.

Tears of Joy

After the proceedings, several women (out of the 60 or so who accused the Philly native of severe crimes against them) stood on the steps of the Montgomery County Courthouse, celebrating Cosby’s conviction and praised the jury for “positioning yourself on the right side of history.”

“I feel like I’m dreaming. Can you pinch me?” said accuser Lili Bernard. “This is a victory not just for Andrea Constand. Thank you so much to the jury for positioning yourself on the right side of history.”

“Thirty-two years of nightmares and tears are over,” said accuser Chelan Lasha via a written statement read by attorney Gloria Allred.

Allred herself verbally uplifted Constand, who was escorted out a side door of the court after the verdict was read, for taking “the risk” to tell her story. “The #MeToo movement is alive, it is well. And it is living in Montgomery County,” she said.

Though Constand was not outside celebrating, she reportedly let out a sigh of relief after Cosby was found guilty. Page Six says, “She showed little emotion to the news in court, except to tilt her back with her eyes closed.”

“The day has come.”

The news sent a wave through social media, with users, famous and otherwise, chiming in with their reactions.

“I wonder how long it’s going to take Trump to announce he’s going to pardon Bill Cosby,” comedian Chelsea Handler wrote on Twitter. “Bill Cosby GUILTY on all 3 counts,” celebrity attorney Lisa Bloom tweeted. She sent thanks out to Montgomery County prosecutors and police, Andrea Constand, Janice Dickinson and “all the women who testified. All 60 who have spoken out about Cosby. All who have supported them.”

“The day has come. Justice delayed, but justice delivered,” Bloom added.

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