By Aaron Miller-
Disgraced U.S former comedian, Bill Cosby was given a three- to 10-year prison sentence on Tuesday for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman Andrea Const near his home 14 years ago.
Cosby, who was convicted in April for assaulting the Temple university employee in the presence of 9 of his accusers. Judge Steven T. O’Neill earlier upheld a state board’s finding that Mr. Cosby is a sexually violent predator.The court released Ms. Constand’s full victim impact statement, in which she wrote: “Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it.”
Cosby’s legal team had requested bail, but the judge insisted on an immediate custodial sentence. The fallen star escaped a potential 30 year sentence, after hiring an expensive legal team to try to earn him what would have been an unfair victory.There was an initial debate in court as to whether Cosby should be labelled a sexual predator, with his defence team arguing that the disgraced star does not pose a threat to anybody, especially as he is registered as legally blind. However, the judge rejected those arguments, concluding Cosby be labelled a sexual predator. His many years of clandestine offences has finally ended Cosby a jail sentence which is substantially less than he actually deserves. The jail term ranging from 3-10 years is unspecific, making it uncertain which end of the spectrum he will spend in jail.
Bill Cosby had admitted drugging females before sex, but claimed they consented to those conditions. However, his sentencing for entrapping women by drugging them and subsequently raping them sends a powerful message to the U.S society of powerful people that nobody is above the law.