Whoopi Goldberg admitted that the evidence against comedian Bill Cosby is overwhelming on Tuesday’s episode of “The View,” with the comedian saying, “If this is to be tried in the court of public opinion, I got to say all of the information that’s out there kind of points to guilt.”
As recently as last week, Goldberg maintained that Cosby should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
But during a discussion with ABC News’ chief legal analyst Dan Abrams, he explained that there is virtually no legal recourse at this point for Cosby’s accusers as the statute of limitations has expired for them to press criminal charges.
“I always thought that rape cases were open-ended,” Goldberg said. “What we have learned is there’s no recourse for these women except what they’re doing.”
“Now, again, I always thought they would have the opportunity to take him to court,” Goldberg said. “I do think that we can say to women if something happens, don’t wait because what waiting does, it can make it harder to prove your case. If you want to get an ass– bonehead off the street, if you want to get him off the street, we need you to step out and if you step out then he can be put away.”
“You got a serial rapist, he’s been on the streets for 30 years,” Goldberg continued. “I have to say I thought that, ‘Yeah, here’s all the information, take his ass to jail. I find out from you that that’s not possible. So I can’t say any more ‘innocent until proven guilty’ because there’s no way to prove it.”
Both Abrams and Goldberg encouraged people to write to their legislators to reform state rape statutes. “You say to your legislators, ‘Rape is a crime that shouldn’t have a statute of limitations. Women should be able to come forward when they decide to. They shouldn’t be forced into a particular time frame,’” Abrams said.