After serving less than three years in a Pennsylvania prison, Bill Cosby is now a free man following the state's Supreme Court decision to overturn his conviction.
Cosby, 83, had been convicted for indecent assault.
This is a stunning turn of events for dozens of women who came forward with accusations against the former comedian. Among those accusers, are two Bay Area women.
“This feels like a loss," said accuser Patricia Steuer. "Questioning, like, what the last 43 year of this ordeal were about if not for justice in the form that we thought we found.”
The court's decision is based on a deal Cosby's legal team made with the prior district attorney who agreed not to prosecute him on criminal charges if Cosby spoke openly for civil cases.
However, in 2018 the current district attorney took the case to trial, in part, based on that testimony.
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“There's nothing in this opinion, that in any way mitigates Bill Cosby's Guilt. He was convicted beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury of his peers.
Legal analyst Dean Johnson said "the only thing that changes is that trial should never have taken place because the government promised Cosby that the trial would not take place.”
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Cosby can't be tried again on the charges that involve former Temple University employee Andrea Constand.
The Cosby case was the first high profile trial during the "Me Too" movement. Now, his accusers are worried it could reverse progress.
“I don't know what that means, about the future of cases like this," Steuer said. "I hope that women won't become resigned and in despair, like all of us were when we thought we were alone.”
Attorneys for Andrea Constand, the woman who's case was successfully prosecuted and now overturned, said she does not want to comment at the moment.
