Bill Cosby To Remain Behind Bars After Being Denied Parole

Bill Cosby is going to be staying behind bars.

The actor, 83, who was convicted of sexual assault in 2018, was denied a request for parole by the Pennsylvania State Parole Board on May 11 after a “negative recommendation” from the Department of Corrections, USA Today reports.

In addition, he has yet to participate in a “treatment program for sex offenders and violence prevention,” and “failure to develop a parole release plan.”

Cosby was convicted of drugging and raping Andrea Constand, a former professional basketball player who worked at Temple University in Philadelphia in 2004. She was one of several women who accused the actor of assault, though most of the incidents had passed the statute of limitations and could not go to trial. When convicted, Cosby was sentenced to three-10 years in prison. He attempted to appeal his conviction, but the verdict was upheld. However, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court did accept an appeal in June 2020 and heard arguments in December, though a ruling has not been issued.

Cosby has long denied the allegations against him and maintained his innocence, and his representative, Andrew Wyatt, told USA Today that because of this, he refuses to attend therapy programs, meaning he is expected to serve his full 10-year sentence and it isn’t surprising that he was denied parole as a result.

“Mr. Cosby has vehemently proclaimed his innocence and continues to deny all allegations made against him, as being false, without the sheer evidence of any proof,” Wyatt said in a statement. “Mr. Cosby continues to remain hopeful that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court will issue an opinion to vacate his conviction or warrant him a new trial.”