A spokesman for Bill Cosby said Saturday the imprisoned comedian and actor wouldn’t survive if he contracts coronavirus behind bars.
Andrew V. Wyatt said in a statement that Cosby, 82, recently had partially blocked arteries, is blind from glaucoma, takes medication for high blood pressure and recently had two major surgeries to prevent cardiovascular failure.
Cosby was convicted in 2018 of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand in 2004. He is serving his three- to 10-year sentence in a Pennsylvania state prison.
That facility, State Correctional Institution Phoenix in Collegeville, on Friday afternoon reported 22 inmates and 13 staff members have contracted the virus; one inmate has died.
The spokesman’s statement came amid reports that state prison officials were not likely to release Cosby to prevent spread of the virus. On April 10, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the Department of Corrections to transfer certain inmates to community corrections facilities or home confinement.
On Thursday, Wyatt said he was confident Cosby would be one of those inmates: “We truly believe that Mr. Cosby will be a direct beneficiary of Governor Wolf’s executive order.”
On Saturday, arguing COVID-19 is particularly mortal for the elderly, the spokesman said, “We are asking Governor Wolf to amend his executive order and grant Mr. Cosby Compassionate Relief based on his current medical status.”
“Mr. Cosby was not given a life sentence nor a death sentence,” he said.
