After being convicted on three counts related to the drugging and sexual assault of Andrea Constand, Bill Cosby is said to be preparing himself for the worst. Page Six reported that Cosby faces up to 30 years in prison and fully understands that he may have to serve hard time. He told the publication that incarceration was always the end game for the prosecutors .
The verdict was announced on Thursday to the shock of many. Cosby told Page Six that “this is what they wanted” and explained that he may soon have to go to what he calls “that place.” The publication shared that the entertainment legend has kept an open line of communication throughout the trial and retrial because it did not appear to him that the media was interested in telling his side of the story.
“When they send me to that place, I want you to be there to tell my story because it seems no one is listening, no one wants the real story.”
Cosby’s representatives expressed a similar frustration in a press conference after closing arguments had been given and the case was given to the jury. Judge Steven O’Neill ruled against the defense motions to have some critical pieces of evidence admitted into the record including testimony from a 2005 deposition in the initial Constand lawsuit.
In the first trial, which concluded with a hung jury, Cosby told the publication that he was offered a plea deal. He rejected it on the grounds that he was not guilty and refused to lie just to get a lesser penalty. Cosby would have been placed under house arrest, served probation, and would have been registered as a sex offender.
The iconic comedian and philanthropist maintained in 2017 that the crimes of which he was accused “just didn’t happen.” He said that Constand knew the truth as well as the prosecutors. His resolve continued in the retrial.
“[Bill Cosby] may be facing years in prison. He was convicted of three counts of this so technically that would be up to 30 years,” Steele said, adding it’s still to be determined what the maximum sentence will be. https://t.co/fhSpFnZ1fn pic.twitter.com/0iD8lTL9rN
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 26, 2018
In 75 days, Cosby will return to court for sentencing. He will have to first undergo a “sexually-violent predator assessment” before his next appearance and will be under house arrest at his Philadelphia home. Judge O’Neill has ordered him to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet.
Cosby’s legal team is preparing to fight the court’s decision. There is talk that he has grounds for a strong appeal, but whether or not the defense is successful remains to be seen.
