'Breaks new ground entirely': Why Bill Cosby's conviction was overturned The reason Pennsylvania's highest court threw out Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction, leading to his release from prison, is extremely rare. Author: MARYCLAIRE DALE and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press Published: 6:04 PM EDT June 30, 2021 Updated: 6:04 PM EDT June 30, 2021 PHILADELPHIA — Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction was thrown out Wednesday by Pennsylvania's highest court in a ruling that swiftly freed the actor from prison more than three years after he was found guilty of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia mansion. Cosby, 83, was the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era, and his conviction was seen as a turning point in the movement to hold powerful men accountable for sexual misconduct.