Bill Cosby slams Howard University, defends Phylicia Rashad amid public admonishment: report
WASHINGTON - Bill Cosby launched into a tirade aimed at Howard University after the institution admonished a comment made by his TV wife Phylicia Rashad in the wake of Cosby’s overturned sexual assault conviction and subsequent release from prison last week.
READ MORE: Howard University students want Phylicia Rashad fired after her Bill Cosby support
The historically Black university in Washington, D.C., said Rashad’s controversial Twitter comment, which read, "’FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!"’ was a stance that "lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault" and maintained that her views on the matter are not aligned with the university’s.
The tweet has since been deleted.
Rashad has been appointed as Howard University’s dean of the College of Fine Arts. "The Cosby Show" actress’ position became effective on July 1.
Critics included several Howard University alumni and current students, many on social media who called for her to be fired from the school or for her to "step down."
Now, in the wake of an apology and backtracking from Rashad, who later said she "fully supports survivors of sexual assault coming forward" and that her social media post "was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth," Cosby, 83, is now coming to the defense of Rashad and told the university it "must support ones Freedom of Speech," making reference to Rashad, according to a statement obtained by Fox News.
The embattled performer pressed that freedom of speech "is taught or suppose to be taught everyday at that renowned law school, which resides on your campus" and further maintained that the media themselves "are the Insurrectionists, who stormed the Capitol."
READ MORE: Bill Cosby freed from prison after sex assault conviction overturned by court
"Those same Media Insurrectionists are trying to demolish the Constitution of these United State of America on this Independence Day," the statement released by Cosby’s rep Andrew Wyatt continued. "No technicality — it’s a violation of ones rights & we the people stand in support of Ms. Phylicia Rashad."
On Sunday, Cosby's social media account bizarrely tweeted that, "DUE PROCESS IS NOT A TECHNICALITY. THE MEDIA CAN’T SILENCE THE TRUTH."
It added the hashtag "BillCosbyDidntAdmit [poop emoji]."
Rashad had also stated in her apology tweet that "Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing."
She also issued a formal apology to students and parents at Howard University, promising to "engage in active listening and participate in training" to become a "stronger ally to sexual assault survivors."
Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather
Rashad played Clair Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" from 1984 through 1992, working alongside the disgraced actor who player Dr. Cliff Huxtable on the NBC program.
Cosby served more than two years of a three- to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia. He had vowed to serve all 10 years rather than acknowledge any remorse over the 2004 encounter with accuser Andrea Constand, who slammed the overturning of the conviction and his release as "disappointing."