US comedian Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction has been overturned by Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court, paving the way for his release.
Cosby, 83, has served more than two years of a three to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia.
He had been found guilty of drugging and molesting ex-basketball player Andrea Constand in 2004.
Cosby is best known for starring in the 1980s TV series The Cosby Show and was once known as “America’s Dad”.
Dozens of women had publically accused him of sexual assault, and his conviction in 2018 was widely seen as a landmark moment in the #MeToo movement.
However Pennsylvania’s highest court found that an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented the former actor and comedian from being charged in the case.
In their decision, the judges also found that testimony from accusers unrelated to the case had tainted the trial.
“Cosby’s convictions and judgment of sentence are vacated, and he is discharged,” the court’s 79-page finding reads.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
bbc
