Bill Cosby's team posts photo to 'reassure his family and supporters’ he's 'doing OK' after mugshot goes viral
Social media users debated whether he should remain in prison after the mugshot's release
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After Bill Cosby's latest mugshot trended on social media on Tuesday, his reps took to Twitter to share a new photo of the disgraced comedian.
According to the tweet, they posted the photo "to reassure his family and supporters that he is doing ok during this pandemic."
It was taken by his publicist, Andrew Wyatt, during their first virtual video conference last week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cosby, 83, is currently serving a three-to-10 year sentence in prison after being convicted for sexual assault and became the subject of public debate after his latest mugshot, which was reportedly taken in September, was released.
BILL COSBY'S NEW MUGSHOT TRENDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS HE APPEARS TO BE SMILING
Bill Cosby's new prison photo was taken in early September. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections/SCI Phoenix)
In the new mugshot, Cosby is looking down as he appears to smile slightly. He's wearing a maroon shirt and a mask around his neck because of the coronavirus pandemic.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The photo divided social media, with some sympathizing with the aging actor, as others remained steady in their belief that justice for his victims was served.
"Man Free Bill. He is only in jail because he black and was about to buy CBS. Yall stay saying protect black women but black men are not protected," a fan on Instagram wrote.
BILL COSBY SET FOR DECEMBER APPEAL HEARING IN PENNSYLVANIA
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Another suggested, "How is this man any threat to society. He can serve the balance of his sentence on probation or house arrest."
"This is sad and this shouldn’t have been posted. Feel bad for him," a user said.
Meanwhile, others felt the opposite.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The shade room posted Bill Cosby’s mugshot today and the comments were filled with people saying Free Bill. Do y’all ever think of how the victims feel? This man drugged and raped them and now they have to get on the internet and see thousands of strangers saying free him. Smh," one person wrote.
"The reason Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby are each old while they’re in prison is b/c it took decades for their victims to get justice. If your sympathy lies w/ rapists instead of survivors, ask yourself why," someone else pointed out.
Wrote another person, "I’m tryna figure out why Bill Cosby is getting sympathy. Maybe I’m missing something...."
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Another argued, "He was finally held accountable. He lived a well appointed life prior to his conviction, but his victims lived with the pain. No...Keep Bill Locked Up."
Cosby had been accused of sexual assault by dozens of women, and he was deemed a sexually violent predator by his trial judge.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He was convicted in 2018 of assaulting a woman in Philadelphia in 2004. Cosby was also accused of drugging the victim, as well as several other women.
Fox News' Jessica Napoli contributed to this report