Bill Cosby is weighing his legal options, TMZ reports, after being released from prison on Wednesday (June 30). Sources close to the 83-year-old actor and his wife Camille reportedly told the outlet that they’re considering suing Montgomery County, where he was tried in Pennsylvania three years ago.
TMZ writes, “We’re told Cosby and his lawyers are looking into a possible lawsuit for abuse of process, and that’s just one of several potential options they’re discussing.”
As reported by REVOLT, Cosby was freed on Wednesday after the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction. The high court sided with Cosby’s lawyers and said prosecutors broke their agreement with the comedian while trying him in criminal court for the alleged sexual assault of Andrea Constand in 2004.
Former District Attorney Bruce Castor reportedly told Cosby he would not be tried criminally if he testified during Constand’s civil suit. However, Cosby ended up giving potentially incriminating statements about drugging women during the deposition, which a new district attorney, Kevin Steele, later used against him in criminal court. By doing this, the Pennsylvania high court said Steele broke Castor’s agreement with Cosby and that overturning his conviction was “the only remedy that comports with society’s reasonable expectations of its elected prosecutors and our criminal justice system.”
Cosby, TMZ reports, could argue that the broken deal was an “abuse of process” and potentially file a lawsuit against the prosecuting county.
“We’ve said from day one, we just didn’t think he was treated fairly. And that… the system has to be fair. Fortunately, the [Pennsylvania] Supreme Court agreed with us,” Cosby’s lawyer Brian Perry said yesterday after his release. “He’s happy. His wife is happy. The system only works if it’s fair to all sides. That’s the bottom line.”
In a statement, Cosby added, “I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence. 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.”