Disgraced “America’s dad” Bill Cosby was led away in handcuffs on Tuesday afternoon, when he as sentenced to 3 to 10 years of “total confinement” in prison after having been found guilty on all counts for the 2004 drugging and sexual assault of former Temple employee Andrea Constand back in April. Judge Steven O’Neill declared Cosby a “sexually violent predator” when handing down the punishment and denied the former actor and comedian bail pending any appeals.
The sentencing would seem to close the chapter on decades of sexual assault allegations made against Cosby by 60 total women dating back all the way in the mid 1960s, and hopefully provide closure to his victims. Although some were hoping for a harsher sentence, Cosby receiving prison time is still arguably seen as a victory of the #MeToo movement, not to mention that at 81 years of age, it’s entirely possible that Cosby may never see life outside of a federal corrections institution again.
To sum up the general feeling in the courtroom, one woman in the courtroom was seen pumping her fist into the air and whispering a triumphant, “Yessss!” when Judge O’Neill delivered the ruling. Likewise, one thing for sure is that people had a lot of thoughts and opinions (and more than a few jokes, even in this serious situation) about Cosby’s sentencing on Twitter.
Sure, I mourn the idea of Cosby — as in the TV show that made me want to attend a black college and heightened the importance of a black family. But my mom is a rape survivor and I survived a rape attempt as a preteen. I have negative fucks about what happens to Cosby.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 25, 2018
Bill Cosby is about to be puddin’ JAIL-O. Thank you.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) September 25, 2018
Remember when women came forward about Bill Cosby for years and none of us did anything until one male comedian backed them up?
— Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) September 25, 2018
Cosby's publicist claims Bill Cosby and Brett Kavanaugh are victims of "a sex war" that is "going on in Washington today."
That's right. It's called the #WarOnRape.
Get used to it.
(And thank you, Andrea Constand, for your bravery.)
via @atruparpic.twitter.com/50kaUUeQD3
— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly 🌸 (@AynRandPaulRyan) September 25, 2018
Time travelers from the 80s arriving to find Bill Cosby’s in jail & Donald Trump’s President pic.twitter.com/5zE3BoYLuE
— TrivWorks (@TrivWorks) September 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/MrBrendanJay/status/1044682422951047168
Bill Cosby begins check in to Montgomery county jail. On the menu tonight- chicken patty, mixed vegetables and vanilla pudding @NBCPhiladelphia
— Deanna Durante (@deannadurante) September 25, 2018
A remarkable sight. Bill Cosby in handcuffs after being sentenced to 3-10 years in prison. pic.twitter.com/mIwKdtOMRn
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) September 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/thesulk/status/1044676028465958913
https://twitter.com/scrowder/status/1044674257148502017
Others made pointed observations comparing Cosby’s conviction to, uh, other current events.
Who said the Universe doesn't have a sense of humor: amid Trump and the GOP's defense of Kavanaugh that allegations happened decades ago, Bill Cosby is sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison for something that happened decades ago.
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) September 25, 2018
Bill Cosby and Brett Kavanaugh. One is going to jail the other to the Supreme Court. What a country.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) September 25, 2018
Bill Cosby sentenced to a minimum of 3 years for sexual assaults that took place a few decades ago. Which is a relief, because for a moment I was concerned he might get confirmed as a Supreme Court justice instead.
— Richard Jeter (@MilesToGo13) September 25, 2018
One way or another, the ruling — in addition to the recent criminal charges brought against Harvey Weinstein — sends a clear message to would-be Hollywood predators that their days of assaulting and harassing women are over.