Reactions to Cosby verdict: ‘Women were finally believed’

Advocates celebrate decision as win for sexual assault victims

Bill Cosby was found guilty Thursday of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a Temple University employee he mentored, 14 years ago.

More than 50 other women have accused him of sexual misconduct. Some of them briefly cheered in the courtroom when the verdict was announced. Constand hugged prosecutors and her lawyers before leaving the courtroom through a side door, smiling.

The jury convicted Cosby of aggravated indecent assault against Constand. But during the trial, Constand became something of a proxy for the many other women who have accused Cosby of similar sexual misconduct. His first trial ended in a hung jury in June.

The verdict was widely celebrated as a win for sexual assault victims. Gloria Allred, the lawyer for dozens of Cosby’s accusers, said outside the courtroom, “After all is said and done, women were finally believed.”

Cosby’s lawyer, Thomas A. Mesereau Jr., said outside the courthouse: “We are very disappointed by the verdict. We don’t think Mr. Cosby’s guilty of anything, and the fight is not over.”

• “Obviously I’m thrilled,” said Kristina Ruehli, who in 2014 accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 1965. “Full credit to the accuser and their networks and the media who had the willingness to listen to us. We were heard.”

• Patrica Steuer, 61, has accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 1978, when she as 22, and then in 1980. She said she felt vindicated by the verdict.

“I can finally lay down my shield and sword for a while,” she said. “I’m a little weary and feel battered, but right now I’m thrilled.”

• Lili Bernard, who said she was drugged and raped while guest starring on “The Cosby Show” in the early ’90s, was ebullient: “I feel like my faith in humanity is restored.”

• Donna Motsinger, who said Cosby drugged and assaulted her in 1972, said the verdict felt less a victory for her personally than for Constand, who has become a close friend.

“It took one woman, one courageous, tenacious woman, to bring a criminal to justice,” Motsinger said. “Sometimes the justice system doesn’t work. But it worked because of her.”

She continued: “It’s not really about me. I didn’t process it for me. I’m still processing that it can still happen. One person can make a difference.”

• Bounce TV, an Atlantabased network programmed primarily for African-American audiences and one of the few networks that still showed reruns of “The Cosby Show,” said Thursday it would immediately pull the show from its schedule.

It was the second time Bounce TV agreed to take Cosby off the air. In July 2015, the network stopped airing reruns after he admitted to drugging women, but started running them again in December 2016.

• On Twitter, the National Organization for Women said “justice was served today.”

“This is a notice to sexual predators everywhere,” the organization said.

• Rose McGowan, an actress who has accused Harvey Weinstein of assaulting her and who has been a vocal advocate in the #MeToo movement, celebrated the result on Twitter.

• Lisa Bloom, a lawyer who represented one of Cosby’s accusers, said on Twitter it was “justice delayed, but justice delivered.”

“It took one woman, one courageous, tenacious woman, to bring a criminal to justice. Sometimes the justice system doesn’t work. But it worked because of her.”

Donna Motsinger, Cosby accuser, on Andrea Constand