Lisa Wilkinson expresses her disgust at Bill Cosby being released from jail

The Project’s co-host, Lisa Wilkinson, has labelled it a sad day for sexual abuse survivors after Bill Cosby was released from jail.

Lisa Wilkinson is not holding back when it comes to two news stories that made her feel sick on Thursday.

On a day where Britney Spears’ judge denied her request to remove her father Jamie as sole conservator of her estate. devastating the #FreeBritney movement, we instead saw Bill Cosby freed from jail over a technicality, after serving three years of a 10-year sentence.

A hard day for women, Wilkinson said.

“I have to say I was really concerned today when both of these stories broke and unexpected outcomes in both. The sort of effect it would have on survivors of sexual assault today, the cumulative effect of the messaging in both of those stories, and for any woman who has ever felt controlled, any woman who has every felt unheard when they’ve been brave enough to come forward and tell their story and feel like no-one’s listening. The effect must have been terrible today,” Wilkinson said on The Project.

Lisa Wilkinson couldn't help but feel awful over the news today, including Bill Cosby being released from prison while Britney Spears was denied her one wish. Picture: Channel 10

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“And this, Lisa, does not diminish the bravery of those women who came forward and hopefully doesn’t stop other women coming forward whether it be against Bill Cosby or other men. But these lawyers almost saying this is justice when it was a technicality. He still confessed to drugging women, and raping them,” said Peter Helliar.

“60 of them. 60,” emphasised Steve Price in disgust.

“Horrendous,” added Peter Hellier.

Entertainment correspondent Jonathan Hyla summed it up perfectly, saying “You can’t help but see the juxtaposition of, you know, here is Cosby who gets to go free, but Britney who is still in her own kind of jail.”

The hosts of The Project were horrified over Bill Cosby's release. Picture: Channel 10

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A US court overturned comedian Bill Cosby’s conviction for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman 15 years ago, allowing his release from prison.

“Cosby’s convictions and judgment of sentence are vacated, and he is discharged,” the Pennsylvania Supreme Court wrote in a 79-page ruling.

Media reports that Cosby walked out of prison around 4:30am AEST.

Cosby, 83, took to Twitter shortly afterwards with a photo of himself fist-pumping the air, writing, “I have always maintained my innocence.”

I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence.
Thank you to all my fans, supporters and friends who stood by me through this ordeal. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law. #BillCosbypic.twitter.com/bxELvJWDe5

— Bill Cosby (@BillCosby) June 30, 2021

Cosby had served more than two years of a three- to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia.

Lawyer Jennifer Bonjean and Bill Cosby speak outside his home after his release from prison. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

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The state Supreme Court found that an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented him from being charged for allegedly drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004.

Although more than 60 women charged that they had been victims of sexual assault by Cosby, he was tried criminally only for Ms Constand’s assault, since the statute of limitations had expired in the other cases.

The ruling bars any retrial in the case.

Charges were filed against Cosby, who was once celebrated as “America’s Dad,” in late 2015 — just days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired. He was convicted in 2018 at his second trial, after a first trial ended in a hung jury.

He had refused to offer any remorse over the encounter with the Temple University employee, vowing instead to serve all 10 years of the sentence.

He was recently denied parole, in part, over his refusal to admit guilt or acknowledge any remorse for crimes he maintains he did not commit.