NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA —As she steps away from her cluster of “sister survivors” outside the courtroom where Bill Cosby’s sentencing hearing will soon begin, Victoria Valentino says she didn’t sleep all that well last night. She doesn’t think she’s the only one. She surmised that the whole group was “waking every hour to see, ‘did we miss our alarm?'”
She ticks off on her fingers the other women in, for lack of a better word, her entourage: “Cindra Ladd. This is her first time in court. We have Lili Bernard, we have Therese Serignese, we have Tamara Green, we have Lise-Lotte Lublin here. We’re waiting for Sunni Welles, Janice Dickinson, and Chelan Lasha. And of course, we have our favorite girl, Gloria Allred,” referring to the prominent attorney who represents multitudes of women who, like Valentino, have publicly accused Cosby of sexual violence.
In April, Cosby was convicted of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. Released on bail, he has been under house arrest ever since — trapped in his mansion in Cheltenham, Pa., where his assault of Andrea Constand took place and where he surely hopes to return when his sentencing is over. Cosby’s legal team is arguing that the comedian, if he ever were a threat, certainly isn’t one anymore — the former American icon will be referred to as “a blind 81-year-old man” several times before lunch — and thus should be able to while away his days in peaceful solitude, or maybe on probation. His lawyer also contend that Cosby should not be classified as a sexually violent predator, despite the ruling of the Sexual Offenders Assessment Board.
That’s one possible outcome of the sentencing phase of the trial. He could also get as many as 30 years behind bars.
“If he gets to go home with an ankle bracelet,” Valentino said. “I will not be happy.”
ThinkProgress caught up with Valentino on Monday morning.
Were you expecting to be able to read a statement or anything in court today? What did they tell you about that whole process?
I did prepare one, and I turned it in to the victim coordinator. [But] we got the word on Thursday that only Andrea Constand would be allowed to speak on the stand, because this is actually her case. So, in order to be constitutional in Pennsylvania, they can only focus on her. However, once this is all done, and he’s in handcuffs and walked away, and the halls are clear, they will transport us to a hall away from here, so that we can speak and give our victim impact statements. [Editor’s note: The “Community Impact Session” will be held immediately following the sentencing hearing at Savior Hall in Norristown, down the street from the courthouse.]
“We have suffered the consequences of his actions over the years and it’s time for him to suffer the consequences of his own actions.”
Who else would be in the hall?
Well, all of us survivor sisters, and probably our supporters.
Aside from the legality of it, how do you feel about the judge’s decision?
Well, I think he’s trying to cross every ‘T’ and dot every ‘I’ and not leave any loopholes or wiggle room for any further conflict after the fact. Because they’re appealing, appealing. Mrs. Cosby has hired an investigator to investigate the judge for corruption.
I saw that.
I mean, really. The height of hypocrisy.
I had thought that at least the five women, the prior bad acts witnesses who had testified during the trial, would be able to speak.
No. [The judge] really went over Pennsylvania constitutional law and wanted to be absolutely correct in everything he did today.
No matter what sentence Cosby gets, will you be satisfied?
If he gets to go home with an ankle bracelet I will not be happy. If he gets two years and one day, that means he has to go to state penitentiary. That will make me very happy. I’ve said it before, and I’m going to say it again: We have suffered the consequences of his actions over the years and it’s time for him to suffer the consequences of his own actions.
“The media seems to forget that the #MeToo movement did not find it’s voice with Harvey Weinstein. We were the ones that opened the floodgates and gave them courage to speak out.”
I’ve been thinking about this happening now, in this strange national moment when people are talking about sexual violence. And I’m curious what you think women who are survivors, and men who are survivors, watching this unfold, what do they get watching this sentencing play out? Is it, “You should report because justice will eventually arrive”? Is it, “you can report but unless there are 59 other people…”
No, I think it’s an encouragement to all victims that the legal system will stand behind you. And I don’t think it necessarily has to take 60 of us. There were 62 and maybe two or three as in the [Brett] Kavanaugh situation. But I think women have just had it. You know? We’re not going to take it anymore.
I think this case is so much bigger than Cosby because it’s highlighting rape culture in our society. And that’s what we want to change — we need to change, not just for us, but for the future generations so that our daughters, our grandchildren, do not have to suffer what we’ve suffered. They will know that there is hope, by being heard. That’s the important thing: that there is light and life on the other side. There is liberation. There is empowerment. And that’s huge.
And I have to say that this Wednesday in Pennsylvania, they’re voting on whether the statute of limitations [for crimes of sexual violence] in Pennsylvania will either be extended or abolished. It’s really, really important that everybody get out and vote in Pennsylvania. Many of us Cosby sisters were part of the coalition that got the statute abolished in California, effective January 1, 2017. So now, we need to get all of the states to abolish it, it needs to be nationwide because there is no time limit on justice.
Is there anything else on your mind today as this sentencing gets underway?
I want to say that the media has a short memory. The media seems to forget that the #MeToo movement did not find it’s voice with Harvey Weinstein. We were the ones that opened the floodgates and gave them courage to speak out. And the message is: No matter how rich, or how famous, or how powerful you are in business or politics, you will go down if you cross the line. Justice will prevail. You are not above the law. And that’s a hell of a message.
I remember last time I spoke with you, you said — and you were not the only sister survivor to express this to me — that you felt like you had been left out of the narrative of #MeToo. Do you think that is still the case?
Well, I think we need to remind everybody, because we are the grandmothers and the mothers, and they’re standing on our shoulders. I notice that on college campuses too this was happening at the same time, and the spotlight on the Catholic church is coming to a head. So, who knows? Victims have had it. We’re not going to take it anymore.