NBC
- Phylicia Rashad made a celebratory comment about Bill Cosby's release.
- Rashad received backlash online.
- Rashad apologized via social media.
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Phylicia Rashad apologized after facing criticism on social media for previous celebratory comments she made following Bill Cosby's release from prison on June 30.
Her initial post read, "FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!"
Cosby was released after his sexual assault conviction was vacated by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on a technicality. The court ruled that a previous district attorney in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, had made an agreement in 2005 to not prosecute Cosby based on testimony given in a civil case.
"In light of these circumstances, the subsequent decision by successor DAs to prosecute Cosby violated Cosby's due process rights," the judges wrote in the case.
A jury found him guilty of sexual assault in 2018, and he was sentenced to a 3- to 10-year sentence.
Rashad's apology, shared on Twitter and Instagram, three hours later, said, "I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing."
Rashad played Clair Huxtable, the wife of Cliff Huxtable, played by Bill Cosby, in "The Cosby Show."
Rashad is also known for her roles in "For Colored Girls," "Creed," "Creed 2," "Empire," "This Is Us," and more. In May 2021, Howard University announced that Rashad was appointed as dean of Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, beginning on July 1.