What's Next? Legal Expert Explains Bill Cosby's Overturned Conviction, Future For Accusers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Bill Cosby has been freed from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction. There are a lot of questions about today's sudden ruling.
Legal expert Damian Jackson, a criminal defense attorney and partner with Reilly McDevitt & Henrich law firm, joined Eyewitness News to break down the ruling.
Question: Explain this ruling. Does this mean the court believes Cosby should not have been prosecuted in the first place?
Jackson: "That's what it seems like. The court basically came down and said that the second prosecution should have Bruce Castor's agreement. They went very far in explaining that although these things happen, they might not like what the evidence was. They said that it should have been honored. You just can't have a second DA come in and upset our agreement ...
Bruce Castor, he made this agreement for whatever reason. He had investigated the case, he didn't think he had enough to prosecute, he wanted to get the victims some kind of relief so he cut that deal so that Cosby could at least give a deposition at the earlier case and based off of that, that's why Mr. Cosby basically incriminated himself and told everything that he did."
Question: Cosby was convicted and found guilty, but this ruling means he is free and clear?
Jackson: "It means he's free and clear, it doesn't mean that he didn't do it, but he can no longer be prosecuted for any crime connected to her or many of the victims."
Question: Do his accusers have any recourse?
Jackson: "It really depends on what the timing is. They might have some recourse depending on the statute of limitations but I don't think that they do ...
If there are other victims out there that we don't know about, they possibly could get their day in court, but from what I remember and everything that was said before, she was the last victim that they knew about. The statute of limitations on her case was about the expire and that's why they decided to go ahead and charge him at that point in time."
Question: What now for Cosby? Does he have any recourse against the court system?
Jackson: "That's something that he might try and go against but, bottom line, everyone followed the rules. If anybody really to blame here it's Bruce Castor and the subsequent prosecution
Watch the video to hear more from Jackson.