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Bill Cosby arrives at Montgomery County Courthouse

Source: W.Wade/WENN / WENN

via NBCNews/TMZ

Judge Steven O’Neill, the judge presiding over the sentencing hearing, ruled earlier Tuesday that Cosby is a “sexually violent predator.

Bill Cosby, who fell from grace as “America’s Dad” to convicted sex offender, was sentenced Tuesday to three to 10 years in state prison.

The 81-year-old comedian was convicted in April of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University women’s basketball administrator, who testified Cosby violated her at his Pennsylvania home in 2004 after she came to him for career advice.

Cosby, renowned for his role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” had been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women, but was only criminally charged in Constand’s case. Cosby is the first star of his caliber to be convicted of sexual assault in the age of #MeToo.

The actor has repeatedly denied all allegations of sexual misconduct. He had faced up to 10 years in prison.

Judge Steven O’Neill, the judge presiding over the sentencing hearing, ruled earlier Tuesday that Cosby is a “sexually violent predator.”

 

FROM TMZ:

TMZ Bill Cosby Sentenced to 3 to 10 Years in State Prison for Sexual Assault Conviction

10:55 AM PT — Bill Cosby will serve 3 to 10 years in a Pennsylvania state prison. The judge just announced the length of sentence. The judge has denied Cosby bail. 

If Cosby serves the full term, he’ll be 91 when he’s released.

In imposing the sentence, the judge said, “I’m not permitted to treat him any differently based on who he is or who he was.” The judge added, “As she [Constand] said, Mr. Cosby, you took her beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it.” He told Constand, “I heard the very clear impact on your life.”

10:50 AM PT — Bill Cosby will go to state prison … so said the judge in his sexual assault case. The judge just said prison will be Cosby’s fate. He has not yet announced the length of the sentence.

Bill Cosby was all smiles as he entered court Tuesday morning but ahead of his sentencing, the judge ruled he will be classified a “sexually violent predator.”

The decision came down Tuesday morning, and means the 81-year-old disgraced comedian’s name will appear on a sex-offender registry, which is sent to neighbors and schools. He also has to undergo lifetime counseling and must report quarterly to authorities.

Also in court Tuesday, prosecutors released Andrea Constand‘s full victim impact statement in which she details the harrowing experience of being sexually assaulted by Cosby, and the aftermath.

In the letter, Constand said she couldn’t talk, eat, sleep or socialize after Cosby assaulted her back in 2004 at his home. She added, “The psychological, emotional and financial bullying included a slander campaign in the media that left my entire family reeling in shock and disbelief.”

She also describes the time right after the assault, while she still had to work with Cosby in the Temple University athletic department — “The sound of his voice over the phone felt like a knife going through my guts. The sight of the man who drugged and sexually assaulted me coming into the basketball office filled me with dread.”

Cosby is facing a maximum of 10 years in prison for the 3 sexual assault convictions, but the judge could go as light as probation.

Prosecutors want the judge to throw the book at Cosby, and railed on the defense for suggesting house arrest is appropriate. Prosecutors said house arrest would put Cosby in the lap of luxury, pointing to the 81-year-old’s wife, Camille, throwing a birthday party for her husband at the house back in July … complete with a live 5-piece jazz band that started jamming at 7 AM.

Cosby’s trial lasted 13 days which included testimony from Constand and 5 other women who claim they were also drugged and sexually assaulted by Cosby.

Cosby’s June 2017 trial ended in a mistrial because the jury at the time had 2 not guilty holdouts.

Originally Published — 9/25/2018 9:09 AM PDT

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Bill Cosby Sentenced To 3 To 10 Years In Prison For Andrea Constand Sexual Assault  was originally published on praisecleveland.com