<p>Legendary comedian Bill Cosby on Tuesday received a sentence of 3-10 years in prison after being found guilty of three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault.</p>
<p>While more than 60 women have accused Cosby of misconduct, his conviction is centered on the case of Andrea Constand &#8211; who claims ;Cosby drugged her and sexually assaulted her in 2004.</p>
<p>Cosby reached a $3.4 million settlement with Constand when she sued him in 2005. During the lawsuit, ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t sure what had actually happened, but the pain spoke volumes,&rdquo; said Constand. &ldquo;The shame was overwhelming. Self-doubt and confusion kept me from turning to my family or friends as I normally did. I felt completely alone.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Cosby has admitted to giving women drugs (including Quaaludes) and alcohol before sex, but insists that all interactions were consensual.</p>
<p><strong>A damning designation ;</strong></p>
<p>Cosby&rsquo;s sentence comes with the designation &ldquo;sexually violent predator,&rdquo; which means he will appear on sex offender registries sent to neighbors and schools. Cosby, at age 81, will be forced to undergo counseling and report to authorities on a regular basis for the rest of his life. ;</p>
<p>On Tuesday, ;Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O&rsquo;Neill denied a request from Cosby&rsquo;s legal team that he be released on bail pending his appeal. ;</p>
<p><strong>Broader implications ;</strong></p>
<p>Bill Cosby&rsquo;s trial is the first to result in a conviction following the rise of the #MeToo movement in 2017. ;</p>
<p>Over the past two years, more than 200 powerful individuals have been accused of sexual harassment and assault including Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Bill O&rsquo;Reilly, Roy Moore, Donald Trump, and Sean Hannity.</p>
<p>More than anything else, the ;trial against Cosby represents a victory for all the women he abused. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve waited 32 years for this day, hoping my nightmares would go away,&rdquo; said Chelan Lasha, one of several victims to gather outside the courthouse on Tuesday. ;&ldquo;I prayed every day that Mr. Cosby would go to prison and pay his dues.&rdquo;</p>
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