Bill Cosby has been denied early release from prison despite a COVID-19 outbreak inside the facility where he is serving his jail sentence.
The disgraced comedian, 82, is serving 3 to 10 years at SCI Phoenix in Skippack, Pennsylvania after being found guilty of aggravated sexual assault in 2018.
Read also: Maryam Sanda not a beneficiary of Buhari’s Presidential Pardon – NCS
Last Friday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf disclosed that plans were being put in place to release at-risk inmates in prisons due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A lot of people believed that Bill Cosby will fall in this category because of his age. However, the State’s Department of Corrections refuted the rumors.
A department spokesperson said: “Sex offenders are not eligible under the reprieve criteria.”
However, Andrew Wyatt, who is Cosby’s representative said that keeping Cosby in jail posses a major threat to his health due to his age and health condition.
Wyatt told Fox News: “All elderly inmates like Mr. Cosby could succumb to this virus. It seems it’s more politically motivated and personally motivated to not let this man out. It’s very upsetting and disappointing.
“i’m very concerned for Mr. Cosby’s health in prison during the coronavirus epidemic.
“The reason: Mr. Cosby is elderly and blind — and always needs to be escorted around the prison by support service inmates, known as Certified Peer Specialists (CPI).
“Those inmates could fall victim to the coronavirus and easily spread the disease to Mr. Cosby as they wheel him around in a wheelchair. Among their duties, the inmates bring Mr. Cosby to the infirmary for his doctor appointments and clean his cell.”
At the SCI Phoenix, 21 prisoners and 13 staffers at the facility have tested positive for Coronavirus. Earlier this month, one inmate died from the virus inside the prison.