Bill Cosby mistrial sparks outrage

Celebrities including Lena Dunham, RuPaul, and Kristen Schaal have expressed outrage and aggravation after a judge declared a mistrial in the sexual assault case against stand-up comedian Bill Cosby.

“For Cosby, mistrial. For his 60 accusers, no justice,” tweeted lawyer Lisa Bloom, who is representing Janice Dickinson‘s separate case against the comedian.

Judge Steven O’Neill declared the mistrial on Saturday when the jury in Montgomery County, Pennsilvania, claimed to be “hopelessly deadlocked” after six days of deliberations. Cosby was accused of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee, at his Elkin Park mansion in January in 2004, reports ew.com.

District Attorney Kevin Steele told reporters his office plans to retry the case.

Dunham, who in 2014 wrote about a sexual assault committed against her, said that “Bill Cosby’s trial is about much more than Bill Cosby”, in a series of tweets.

She posted: “When women see justice served, their own fear and trauma are eased. When they don’t, survivors of sexual assault have to watch every day as the legal system calls them liars and denies their truth. It is an unimaginable grind. My heart is with every survivor reliving the erasure of their own experience today. I see you. I love you.”

RuPaul posted: “Our criminal justice system is a joke that’s not at all funny.”

Comedian Kristen Schaal asserted that there should be retrial. She said: “Try him again. #CosbyTrial. Heart goes out to women who came forward. Without that courage there will be more victims. Serial rapist.”

American-Pakistani stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani asked; “Serious question: How will Cosby ever get an unbiased jury? Who doesn’t know him or have some sort of association with him?”

Television producer Andy Lassner tweeted: “To all the women who say Bill Cosby drugged, raped or assaulted you: I BELIEVE YOU”.