Bill Cosby’s underlying medical conditions put him at grave risk should he become infected with COVID-19, his rep believes, telling TheWrap the disgraced comedian should be released from state prison, despite being ruled ineligible for early release.
Cosby’s rep, Andrew Wyatt, says that he thinks Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf should “use his gubernatorial powers to show compassion to another human being,” by releasing Cosby. The disgraced television star is currently serving three to 10 years at State Correctional Institution – Phoenix for sexually assaulting a woman in his home.
“Mr. Cosby was informed that the carotid arteries on the right and left side of his neck had 90% blockage due to plaque build-up,” Wyatt wrote, explaining that the carotid arteries are the blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain, neck and face. “Those surgeries were done separately and they were successful.”
Wolf added that Cosby is currently on medication for high blood pressure and that he is “100% blind from glaucoma.” He went on to point out that Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that COVID-19 is “deadly to the elderly,” “to those that suffer from underlying medical issues,” “to more Blacks and people of color than any other race,” and to those who in an environment which prevents them from social distancing (like prisons, for instance).
“Mr. Cosby was not given a life sentence nor a death sentence,” Wyatt wrote, “so we are requesting that Gov. Wolf use his gubernatorial powers to show compassion to another human being.” Nothing official has been filed yet, but Wyatt tells TheWrap a petition is forthcoming.
On April 10, Gov. Wolf issued an order to release the first group of inmates on April 15 for at-risk inmates to be temporarily reprieved to help stop the spread of COVID-19, which Wyatt says Cosby is. But on Thursday, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office told TheWrap that Cosby is ineligible for early release because the program doesn’t apply to those convicted or sentenced for “a crime of violence, or any criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy to commit a crime of violence.”
Cosby has been accused by at least 60 women of sexual assault. In a wide-ranging interview given last year to Black Press USA, Cosby said he had no “remorse” for his actions and claimed his trial was a “set up.”
Wyatt’s comments in full are below:
Around the Fall of 2019, Actor & Comedian Bill Cosby was forced to have two major surgeries in-order to sustain his life (prevent him from having a stroke and/or heart attack). During a visit to the infirmary at SCI-Phoenix for high blood pressure issues, Mr. Cosby was informed that the carotid arteries on the right and left side of his neck had 90% blockage due to plaque build-up (the carotid arteries are the major blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain, neck and face). Those surgeries were done separately and they were successful. Mr. Cosby now takes medication for high blood pressure and he is 100% blind from glaucoma.
We are asking Governor Wolf to amend his executive order and grant Mr. Cosby Compassionate Relief based on his current medical status. President Donald Trump, Governor Andrew Cuomo and his Gubernatorial Peers, along with Medical Expert Dr. Anthony Fauci have all stated, “Covid-19 is deadly to the elderly; Covid-19 is deadly to those that suffer from underlying medical issues; Covid-19 has been deadly to more Blacks and people of color than any other race; and Covid-19 is deadly to those individuals that are in an environment which prevents any form of Social Distancing (Prisons, Schools, Nursing Homes, etc…).
Mr. Cosby was not given a life sentence nor a death sentence, so we are requesting that Gov. Wolf use his gubernatorial powers to show compassion to another human being, Bill Cosby. It has been well documented in the media and by the Secretary of Prisons, John Wetzel, that SCI-Phoenix has been badly infected with the Covid-19 virus.