Bill Cosby, who is currently behind bars in Pennsylvania state prison, won’t be stepping out of jail any time soon because of his refusal to participate in a program for sexually violent predators.
The 83-year-old actor, once fondly called “America’s Dad,” is now serving time after being convicted of drugging and raping former professional basketball player Andrea Constand. He was sentenced to prison in 2018, and now, three years later, his parole request was declined on May 11, 2021, by the Pennsylvania State Parole Board.
The primary reason for his parole to be denied was his refusal to participate in “a treatment program for sex offenders and violence prevention,” and “failure to develop a parole release plan,” according to a state board action letter.
A “negative recommendation” from the Department of Corrections also contributed to his parole being denied.
The actor’s representative, Andrew Wyatt, revealed that the rejection comes as no surprise to them.
“We knew he was going to be rejected. He called me and told me that if he didn’t take the course, he would be denied. He has maintained his innocence from the beginning,” Wyatt wrote on Facebook.
Since the time “The Cosby Show” star became the center of the atrocious scandal, he has maintained his innocence and adamantly declared he would show no remorse.
“When I come up for parole, they’re not going to hear me say that I have remorse,” Cosby said in his first interview from jail with BlackPressUSA.com in 2019.
“I was there. I don’t care what group of people come along and talk about this when they weren’t there. They don’t know,” Cosby added. “It’s all a setup. That whole jury thing. They were imposters.”
After his parole request was denied in May, 2021, Wyatt said: “Mr. Cosby has vehemently proclaimed his innocence and continues to deny all allegations made against him, as being false, without the sheer evidence of any proof. Mr. Cosby continues to remain hopeful that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court will issue an opinion to vacate his conviction or warrant him a new trial.”
The world-famous comedian and now-convicted sex offender was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison in 2018. His parole would only be considered again after he completes the sexual violent predator therapy, according to Laura Treaster, a spokeswoman for the state parole board.
When Wyatt wrote on Facebook about Cosby’s parole request being denied, he also revealed that the actor is doing well with life in prison and is “hopeful” about his appeal of the conviction. They are still waiting for the court’s ruling on the appeal.
“He’s hopeful,” Wyatt said. “He’s cool as a cucumber.”
