蜜芽传媒

The American entertainer Bill Cosby has had his conviction for sexual assault overturned by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Mr Cosby, who is 83, has served more than two years of his sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia. He had originally been found guilty of drugging and molesting a woman in 2004.

Dozens of other women had also publicly accused him of sexual assault -- but no further action was taken against him. The plaintiff in the case, Andrea Constand, called the new ruling disappointing. She expressed fears that it could discourage sexual assault victims from coming forward.

Law professor Claire Finkelstein, who runs the Centre for Ethics and the Rule of Law at the University of Pennsylvania explained the reasoning of the judge.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very usual to have this problem. There are lots of times when there will be a 鈥榗onfession鈥� that the defendant will then later say that鈥檚 not a valid confession you can鈥檛 use that for whatever reason鈥� it has to be excluded.

鈥淏ut to claim there was an immunity deal struck in exchange for testimony in a civil case and then to use to try to vacate a conviction, that requires some pretty fancy lawyering [sic].鈥�

(Pic: Bill Cosby, after being released from prison; Credit: Reuters)

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