Bill Cosby celebrates his rape conviction being overturned and release from prison in new statement

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Bill Cosby celebrates his rape conviction being overturned and release from prison in new statement
Andrew Wyatt and actor Bill Cosby arrive at Montgomery County Courthouse as Bill Cosby's trial continues on June 17, 2017 in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Gilbert Carrasquillo/WireImage)
  • Disgraced comedian Bill Cosby celebrated his overturned rape conviction and prison release Wednesday.
  • "I have never changed my stance nor my story," Cosby said. "I have always maintained my innocence."
  • Cosby, 83, was released after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction.
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Disgraced comedian Bill Cosby celebrated his rape conviction being thrown out on Wednesday, saying he has "always maintained my innocence."

"I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence," Cosby said in a statement posted to Twitter. "Thank you to all my fans, supporters and friends who stood by me through this ordeal. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law."

The 83-year-old Cosby was released from State Correctional Institution at Phoenix on Wednesday after the court's bombshell decision to throw out his sexual assault conviction.

Cosby had served more than two years of a three- to 10-year sentence at the lockup near Philadelphia after he was found guilty in 2018 of drugging and sexually assaulting Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his home in 2004.

Cosby, 83, was released after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction, ruling that the lead prosecutor shouldn't have charged the comedian due to a deal made by a previous prosecutor.

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In that deal, Bruce Castor - who would later go on to defend President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial - promised not to use testimony in a civil lawsuit filed by one of Cosby's accusers to charge him.

The court found that the later use of that testimony to convict Cosby violated his Fifth Amendment rights. Cosby was released, with the court preventing prosecutors from charging him again.

Wyatt, who walked Cosby into court every day during the 2018 trial, told Insider on Wednesday afternoon that he was personally going to the prison to pick up Cosby.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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