US comedian, Bill Cosby regains freedom after court overturned sexual assault conviction

The United States comedian, Bill Cosby, was released from prison on Wednesday after the country’s highest court overturned his conviction for sexual assault.

Cosby, 83, had served more than two years of a three to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia.

The comedian was convicted in 2018 for drugging and molesting ex-basketball player, Andrea Constand, 15 years ago.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court had in the ruling held that Cosby had been denied a fair trial.

READ ALSO: Court throws out defamation lawsuit against Bill Cosby

The judges said there had been a “process violation” by the prosecution, but admitted their ruling was unusual.

In a 79-page decision, they said a non-prosecution agreement between a former district attorney and Cosby over evidence he gave in a civil case meant the actor should not have been charged.

“Cosby’s convictions and judgment of sentence are vacated, and he is discharged,” they wrote.

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