How Bill Cosby Will Live In His New Pennsylvania Prison
Bill Cosby has been issued his standard prison blues. He’s been welcomed into his single-person cell. And he’s made it through his first night in the SCI Phoenix prison in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. It’s one of many nights that the convicted rapist will face in the coming days, weeks and months. What will his life be like now?
SCI Phoenix is nearly brand-new, having only opened up to inmates this past July. The facility encompasses 164 acres and houses 3,830 beds for prisoners. It is a maximum-security facility, CNN details.
A spokesperson for SCI Phoenix said that the disgraced actor was “in good spirits” when he arrived at the facility Tuesday evening. Upon arriving, he was given linens, towels, state-issued boots, and toiletry items.
Like all new prison arrivals, Bill Cosby will be assessed by the prison’s medical staff. The psychologists will get a crack at him next. Even during this assessment phase, Cosby will have access to phone calls and be provided with time to exercise. He is also allowed to receive visitors during visiting hours.
Eventually, prison officials are aiming toward putting Cosby in the prison general population. “We are taking all of the necessary precautions to ensure Mr. Cosby’s safety and general welfare in our institution,” said John Wetzel, Corrections Secretary, in a statement published in USA Today.
SCI Phoenix takes a rehabilitative approach to prisoner welfare, and provides numerous treatment programs. There’s even one for sex offenders, which Cosby is compelled to attend as part of his sentencing. He has been ordered to participate in sex offender counseling for the remainder of his life. Cosby also has the option of attending one of the prison’s vocational classes. There are many to choose from, including barbering school, carpentry and custodial maintenance.
Wednesday morning, like every morning for the remainder of his prison sentence, Cosby stood up for roll call at 6 am to be counted and numbered along with the other prisoners. His first meal in prison was baked meatballs and rice, green beans and mashed potatoes with gravy. For lunch on Thursday, Cosby will ironically be fed a half-cup of Jell-O. And on Saturday, he’ll be given chocolate pudding.
Part of Cosby’s sentence says that he must pay $43,611.83 in court costs, but it’s unlikely he will take a prison job to defray the costs. He can probably afford the bill on his own, all things considered.
Bill Cosby’s publicist claims that his trial was “the most racist in history.” Could it be that in his statement, autocorrect changed the word “rapist?”
— MAD Magazine (@MADmagazine) September 26, 2018
Cosby supporters have been calling for justice in the wake of the conviction. His wife has claimed that certain evidence was doctored, and some members of his team are claiming that the trial was unfair.
Prosecutor Stewart Ryan stated that these theatrics are a “last-ditch effort to cook up an appeal issue.”
But even without all the media coverage, Cosby is highly likely to appeal the conviction. Should he choose to do so, the case will continue to accrue court costs and consume even more taxpayer dollars in the months and years ahead.
