Phylicia Rashad Faces Backlash For Defending Bill Cosby After Prison Release

Phylicia Rashad sparked controversy on Wednesday after celebrating Bill Cosby‘s release from prison.

After news of Cosby’s release became public on June 30, Rashad, the future dean of Howard University’s College of Fine Arts, tweeted, “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted – a miscarriage of justice is corrected!”

Phylicia disabled the option to comment on this tweet, but she still faced backlash, with several mentioning that Wednesday’s ruling did not exonerate Cosby of the aggravated assault charge.

A few hours after this tweet, she responded to critics in a new post.

“I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward,” she wrote. “My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.”

Rashad’s tweet sparked frustration among many on Twitter for defending Cosby, given that dozens of women have accused him of sexual misconduct over the years.

Rashad has been supportive of Cosby in the past. In 2015, she told ABC News that he is “generous,” “kind” and “inclusive.”

“What happened is the declaration in the media of guilt – without proof,” she told an ABC News reporter. When she was asked about the first time she heard allegations regarding Cosby she said, “I had never heard that before and I can’t even speak to those things, and don’t want to.”

The Fresh of Bel-Air former actress Janet Hubert responded to Rashad’s tweet, asking her, “what are you thinking!!!”