Bill Cosby’s TV Wife Phylicia Rashad Draws Fire For Celebrating His Prison Release On Twitter

Earlier today, we reported that the disgraced comedian Bill Cosby, 83, was being released from prison because his sexual assault conviction was overturned. He served almost three years.

Now, Phylicia Rashad, who played Cosby’s wife Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” is controversially celebrating his freedom. She also starred with him in “Cosby” that aired from 1996-2000.

Rashad Supports Cosby

“FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” she tweeted alongside a photo of Cosby.

https://twitter.com/PhyliciaRashad/status/1410289746539130882

Rashad has previously let it be known that she believes Cosby is innocent despite the fact that dozens of women have accused him of drugging and raping them. 

“I just don’t accept what somebody says because they say it, and they say it in a loud voice,” Rashad told Bustle last year when asked about Cosby. “The internet has given a lot of anonymous people a very loud voice.”

Back Story: Bill Cosby To Be Released From Jail As Court Overturns His Sex Assault Conviction

Rashad Starting New Job

NBC News reported that Rashad is set to start a new job as the dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University tomorrow.

Twitter users have already started trying to inform the historically Black university about Rashad’s support of Cosby. 

Take a look a the tweets below:

Actor Billy Baldwin was quick to shut Rashad down:

Another Hollywood star who does not agree with Rashad is Rosanna Arquette, who was quick to remind people that race has nothing to do with this case.

“Bill Cosby was not put in prison because he was a Black man he was put in prison because he drugged and raped many women for decades,” wrote Arquette, who is known for being a “woke” liberal herself. 

https://twitter.com/RoArquette/status/1410303616750014464?s=20

Nevertheless, some people have been celebrating Cosby’s release as if a black man is finally getting justice. 

Cosby was one of the most beloved stars in Hollywood before dozens of women came forward to accuse him of drugging and sexually assaulting them.

He served two years and 9 months of his three to ten year sentence before his release. Cosby maintained his innocence and refused to take a plea deal. He was denied parole in May. 

Related: Bill Cosby Gives His First Interview From Prison – Expresses Zero Remorse

Prosecutor Speaks Out

Kevin Steele, the Montgomery County district attorney who prosecuted Cosby for the rape of Andrea Constand , released a statement saying that he was freed “on a procedural issue that is irrelevant to the facts of the crime.”

“I want to commend Cosby’s victim Andrea Constand for her bravery in coming forward and remaining steadfast throughout this long ordeal, as well as all of the other women who have shared similar experiences,” Steele said, according to Fox News.

“My hope is that this decision will not dampen the reporting of sexual assaults by victims,” he added. “Prosecutors in my office will continue to follow the evidence wherever and to whomever it leads. We still believe that no one is above the law — including those who are rich, famous and powerful.”

It remains to be seen how much more backlash Phylicia Rashad will receive for supporting Bill Cosby.