In the first major resolution to a criminal case of the #MeToo era, Bill Cosby was sentenced to between three and 10 years in prison on Tuesday for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his home in 2004.
Judge Steven O’Neill had already declared the disgraced actor a “sexually violent predator” on Tuesday morning before sentencing the 81-year-old.
JUST IN: Bill Cosby led away from courtroom in handcuffs after judge denied him bail during pending appeals. https://t.co/Q3sd8zVPXA pic.twitter.com/jFjSwafkvS
— ABC News (@ABC) September 25, 2018
This classification means that Cosby must undergo monthly counseling for the rest of life and his name will appear on a sex offender registry.
Ten women who had accused Cosby of sexual abuse, including Constand, were in the courthouse to witness the sentencing. Prosecutors had asked that he be sentenced to the maximum penalty of 10 years. The court previously released Constand’s full victim impact statement, in which she wrote, “Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it,” according to The New York Times.
NEW TODAY: Andrea Constand’s full victim impact statement released ahead of #CosbySentencing. pic.twitter.com/WxIhIxqvCw
— Cassie Semyon (@casssemyon) September 25, 2018
Thanks for reading InsideHook. Sign up for our daily newsletter and be in the know.