Bill Cosby's former on-screen wife, Phylicia Rashad, has been criticized after she celebrated the comedian's release from jail on Twitter.
According to News.com.au, the 73-year-old actress took to Twitter on Wednesday, June 30, to share a picture of Cosby with her 66,000 followers on the platform following her former co-star's conviction on sexual assault charges being overturned.
Rashad wrote: "FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected! [sic]"
However, a number of other Twitter users took issue with her comments, with many accusing her of being flippant and disregarding the accounts of Cosby's alleged victims, and other sex abuse survivors.
One outraged social media user tweeted: "Wow #PhyliciaRashad is a great example of why having a journal is important… [sic]"
Meanwhile, someone else commented: "As a @HowardUSchool of Fine Arts alum, and as a survivor, this tweet from @PhyliciaRashad is disappointing. I hope we can have a dean who believes & respects survivors."
Finally, author and podcaster Kimberly Johnson chimed in: "@PhyliciaRashad approximately SIXTY women accused him of rape. Your tweet was abhorrent. [sic]"
Rashad later apologized for her comments in a follow-up post made several hours later
The contrite actress wrote: "I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth.
"Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing."
According to IMDB, Rashad first played Cosby's onscreen wife Clair Huxtable from 1984-1992 in the sitcom The Cosby Show, and again as Ruth Lucas from 1996-2000 in the follow-up series Cosby.
The 83-year-old comedian spent two years in a Pennsylvania prison until the Supreme Court ruled that Cosby should have never been charged and imprisoned for attacking Andrea Constan, due to a preexisting plea deal he had made with prosecutors.
Cosby was first reported to the police in 2005 - a year after the alleged attack took place and the civil lawsuit brought against him on rape charges in 2006 was settled for more than $3 million in 2006.
The Independent reports that, in 2015, a federal judge unsealed the testimony used in that case, which is what was used to re-open Constand’s case against the comic.
However, at the time, then-District Attorney Bruce Castor, who defended Donald Trump at his second impeachment trial, refused to press charges.
Commenting on his release in an official statement made on Twitter, Cosby wrote: "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."
