Prosecutors ask Supreme Court to step in after Bill Cosby's conviction was overturned

Five months after Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction was overturned, prosecutors want the Supreme Court to step in.

Prosecutors on Monday petitioned the Supreme Court to review a ruling that overturned Cosby's sexual assault conviction earlier this year, The Associated Press reports. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele wrote, "This decision as it stands will have far-reaching negative consequences beyond Montgomery County and Pennsylvania. The U.S. Supreme Court can right what we believe is a grievous wrong."

Cosby was convicted on charges of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, but he was released in June after the conviction was overturned. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that due to an agreement Cosby had with a previous prosecutor, he should not have been charged; the court identified this as a "due process violation." Cosby provided testimony in a civil suit after prosecutor Bruce Castor reportedly promised the comedian would not be charged. His legal team argued this should have prevented the charges from being brought against him.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The prosecutor's office argued to the Supreme Court, though, that a "prosecution announcement not to file charges should not trigger due process protections against future criminal proceedings because circumstances could change, including new incriminating statements by the accused," Variety reports.

Cosby's accusers previously criticized the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's ruling, with Andrea Constand asking on the Today show, "How can a district attorney enforce a decision on a backroom handshake? How can you give any credibility to that?" In a statement to Variety, Cosby spokesperson Andrew Wyatt slammed prosecutors' appeal to the Supreme Court, describing it as a "pathetic last-ditch effort that will not prevail." Wyatt added, "The Montgomery's County's DA's fixation with Mr. Cosby is troubling to say the least."