The district attorney who previously prosecuted Cosby, Kevin Steele, acknowledged Andrea Constand, one of the first survivors to publicly accuse Cosby, and said he hopes the court’s decision will not negatively impact sexual assault reporting in the future. 

“I want to commend Cosby’s victim Andrea Constand for her bravery in coming forward and remaining steadfast throughout this long ordeal, as well as all of the other women who have shared similar experiences,” he said, CNN reported.

“My hope is that this decision will not dampen the reporting of sexual assaults by victims. Prosecutors in my office will continue to follow the evidence wherever and to whomever it leads. We still believe that no one is above the law—including those who are rich, famous and powerful.”

Gloria Allred, an attorney who represented many of the women, said the court’s ruling does not absolve Cosby of his actions. 

“My heart especially goes out to those who bravely testified in both of his [Cosby’s] criminal cases,” Allred said in a statement. “Despite the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision, this was an important fight for justice and even though the court overturned the conviction on technical grounds, it did not vindicate Bill Cosby’s conduct and should not be interpreted as a statement or a finding that he did not engage in the acts of which he has been accused.”

After the announcement, one of the survivors said the news was a “gut punch.” 

“There’s no other way to describe it,” Victoria Valentino, one of Cosby’s accusers told CNN.

“What does that say about a woman’s worth? A woman’s value? Do our lives mean nothing? All of the lives that he damaged,” she continued. “I’m infuriated. I’m shaking.”