Bill Cosby defender, singer Jill Scott, says she was 'wrong' to back comedian
'I stood by a man I respected and loved,' the performer explains on Twitter
A former Bill Cosby supporter, American singer and actress Jill Scott, is now backing away from her former mentor after the comedian's court admissions were made public.
- Bill Cosby admitted getting Quaaludes to give to women he intended to have sex with: court documents
Scott had publicly defended the 77-year-old from allegations he drugged and sexually assaulted a number of women.
Cosby's lawyers insisted during the deposition that two of the accusers knew they were taking quaaludes from the comedian, according to the documents. But for Scott, the testimony was enough proof for her to cut ties with the former TV patriarch she regarded as a mentor.
About Bill Cosby. Sadly his own testimony offers PROOF of terrible deeds, which is ALL I have ever required to believe the accusations.
—@missjillscottI stood by a man I respected and loved. I was wrong. It HURTS!!! When you get it ALL right, holla.
—@missjillscottDefending herself
Scott also defended herself against those who said she should have given more weight to the accusations from the more than two dozen woman who claimed Cosby abused them.
She pointed to racism in America for her reluctance to jump on the bandwagon.
1) We live in America. Many African American men are detained &/or imprisoned for crimes without evidence. I will never jump on bandwagons
—@missjillscott2) based on social media or hearsay. Proof will always matter more than public opinion. The sworn testimony is proof. Completely disgusted.
—@missjillscottNetwork pulls Cosby reruns
Meantime, a U.S. television network has announced it's dropping Cosby programming immediately.
The Bounce TV network, which is geared toward black viewers, said Tuesday it would be pulling reruns of the 1990s-era CBS sitcom from the air.
On ABC's The View, Whoopi Goldberg said Tuesday that she was still reserving judgment on Cosby, reiterating the stance she has held since the allegations against him resurfaced last winter.
- Bill Cosby tells woman 'be careful about drinking around me'
- Cosby's lawyers ask judge to drop defamation suit
"You are still innocent until proven guilty," Goldberg said. Cosby, she said, "has not been proven a rapist."
The View co-host Raven-Symoné, who starred on Cosby's 1980s sitcom as a child, said she doesn't like talking about the allegations because he helped launch her career.
"You need the proof and then I'll be able to give my judgment here or there," she said.
Cosby has never been charged with a crime, and the statute of limitations on most of the accusations has expired.
With files from The Associated Press