Janice Dickinson felt like she had been 'kicked in the stomach' when Bill Cosby was released from prison
Janice Dickinson, who's accused Bill Cosby of rape and later brought and settled a defamation case against him after he denied it, was understandably upset this week as he was released from prison.
Cosby's 2018 conviction of sexual assault in the case of Andrea Constand was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which ruled that the former TV star had not been given a fair trial. They did not say that he was innocent, although Cosby has maintained that stance, even after scores of women accused him of sexual misconduct.
Dickinson was "so angry" and felt like she had been "kicked in the stomach" when she saw Cosby go free, she told ET.
She had a message for the former TV dad: "Oh, I would say, don't be so happy with yourself, buddy, because you know what you did to me."
Dickinson said Cosby raped her in 1982 in Lake Tahoe, Nev., where she'd met up with him following his offer to help with her career. She testified about the encounter in the Constand trial. When Cosby denied her story, she sued him for defamation. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount with his insurance company, American International Group Inc, although he objected.
She was dismayed that Cosby didn't apologize in that post-release news conference he held in which his attorney praised the court's action. In fact, Cosby remained silent at the event. But he did make a nonverbal statement in front of news cameras as he arrived at his home and post a response to his release on social media.
I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence.
Thank you to all my fans, supporters and friends who stood by me through this ordeal. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law. #BillCosby pic.twitter.com/bxELvJWDe5— Bill Cosby (@BillCosby) June 30, 2021
"I would say to him personally, you've got a whole lot of nerve coming out and smiling and giving peace signs," she said.
Dickinson said she would "hope that Mr. Cosby would say I'm sorry, but that's never gonna happen."
She was sad for the other women involved, too.
"I think the justice system is really f**ked up," Dickinson said. "It's, like, devastating that after all the pain and anguish that these women went through, myself included, Beverly Johnson [who's accused Cosby of drugging and attempting to rape her]. I know they're feeling the same way that I am. I know I'm mad. I know they're disappointed, and sisters, we gotta hang in there, that's what I want to say to them."
The model encouraged sexual assault victims to report their experiences immediately so that the perpetrators could be prosecuted. Cosby could not be tried for crimes against many of the women who said he violated them, because the statute of limitations had run out by the time they were reported.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is here for survivors 24/7 with free, anonymous help. 800.656.HOPE (4673) and online.rainn.org.
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