Nov 29, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Prosecutors ask Supreme Court to revive case against Bill Cosby

Ivana Saric

Bill Cosby arrives for sentencing for his sexual assault trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse on September 25, 2018 — Bill Cosby arrives for sentencing for his sexual assault trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse on Sept. 25, 2018. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images

Prosecutors have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the ruling that led to Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction being overturned in June, AP reports.

What they're saying: “This decision as it stands will have far-reaching negative consequences beyond Montgomery County and Pennsylvania. The U.S. Supreme Court can right what we believe is a grievous wrong,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele wrote in the petition, per AP.

Catch up quick: Cosby was released from prison this year after Pennsylvania's Supreme Court overturned his 2018 conviction for sexual assault after finding that an agreement to sit for a deposition in a civil lawsuit in 2005 and 2006 came with a promise of immunity from a district attorney at the time.

Cosby has been accused of sexual misconduct or rape by more than 60 women.

The big picture: The only evidence of this agreement comes from a 2005 press release from then-prosecutor, Bruce Castor, in which he announced that he lacked sufficient evidence to arrest Cosby but made a vague warning that he might reconsider in the future if needed, AP reported.

The meaning of this press release has been debated for years, with prosecutors arguing that it does not constitute an agreement for lifetime immunity, according to AP.

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Prosecutors ask Supreme Court to revive case against Bill Cosby

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