Bill Cosby calls his release a win for those 'imprisoned wrongfully' in first interview since sexual assault conviction was thrown out
- Cosby called his release a "win" for people who are "imprisoned wrongfully" in 1st radio interview.
- He gave his first post-prison interview to Detroit radio host Frankie Darcell on Mix 92.3 Thursday.
- Cosby was released from prison on Wednesday due to a "procedural issue."
Bill Cosby gave his first radio interview after being released from prison, in which he celebrated his sexual-assault conviction being overturned.
Cosby, 83, called his release a victory for people who are "imprisoned wrongfully" as he spoke to Detroit radio host Frankie Darcell on Mix 92.3.
"This is for all the people who have been imprisoned wrongfully, regardless of race, color, or creed, because I met them in there - people who talked about what happened and what they did," he said. "And I know there are many liars out there, but these people can't get lawyers."
Cosby was released from prison on Thursday because of a procedural issue dating back to a civil lawsuit in 2005.
At the time, Cosby was promised by Bruce Castor, then the Montgomery County District Attorney, that he would not face charges if he testified in a civil lawsuit filed by Andrea Constand, a Temple University employee who accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2004.
He was later charged and convicted in a case involving Constand by current Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction upon determining Cosby's due process rights were violated because he was charged when Steele's predecessor Castor told him he wouldn't be.
Cosby told Darcell that he felt "powerless" when he was accused of sexual assault.
"There's a saying that is my mantra: 'It's not what they're doing to you, it's what you're not doing.' And when you are Frankie Darcell, and you do it, look at what you did," he said. "Take advantage of this situation, and play it like you have never played something before, because your audience needs the truth, they need clarity, they need guidance, and they need to know where to go, and how to join, and how to do things."
A spokesperson for Cosby, Andrew Wyatt, told Insider Wednesday regarding Cosby's release: "This is amazing news. We're excited and we want to thank the Pennsylvania Supreme Court."
Steele, the DA who convicted Cosby, responded to the news of Cosby's release with a statement, provided to Insider, that sent a message to Constand and the other women who came forward, praising their "bravery in coming forward and remaining steadfast throughout this long ordeal."
"My hope is that this decision will not dampen the reporting of sexual assaults by victims. Prosecutors in my office will continue to follow the evidence wherever and to whomever it leads," Steele's statement read in part.