Bill Cosby has been sentenced to 3-10 years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, after being convicted on three counts back in April. On Tuesday, Judge Steven O'Neill ruled Cosby a "sexually violent predator" on the second day of his two-day sentencing hearing, a lifelong designation.
"No one is above the law, and no one should be treated differently or disproportionally," O'Neill said, per CNN.
Cosby is the first celebrity in the #MeToo era to be sentenced for his predatory crimes. He became an icon in households across America as a wholesome and loving father on the Cosby Show from 1984-1992. But long before the Harvey Weinstein story broke, New York magazine released a powerful cover of 35 women who accused Cosby of sexual assault in 2015. Now, more than 60 women have come forward with accusations, most of whom cited Cosby’s use of the sedative Quaaludes to overpower them.
But it was Andrea Constand’s assault, thanks to Philadelphia’s statute of limitations, that became the crux of the case against Cosby. At the beginning of April, it was revealed Cosby paid Constand $3.5 million back in 2006 to keep silent about the incident. Convinced by evidence and an argument laid out by celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, a jury came to find Cosby guilty.
During his April 2018 retrial, following a mistrial in June '17, Cosby was convicted of drugging and molesting Constand at his Philadelphia home in 2004. At the time, Constand considered Cosby a mentor, while she worked as a Temple University basketball official. He faced a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison for three counts.
The 81-year-old declined to give a statement following his sentencing, and will be taken to prison shortly. Judge O'Neill also denied Cosby bail.
Despite the prison sentence, CBS reports Cosby's Hollywood Walk of Fame star will remain.
