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The Bill Cosby I know is a generous man who advised me as I sought to write a book of family humor, introduced me to an editor at a national magazine, and did similar things for many others.

But that’s not the only reason I’ve had mixed emotions as I’ve watched the media train wreck that has accompanied rape accusations against the entertainer.

I’ve been baffled because Cosby stands on the brink of ruin not for a criminal conviction, but over allegations that have never been proven, charges that have never been filed and guilt that has never been established. Moreover, every allegation against him is decades old.

Forty-five years. That’s how long one woman waited to accuse Cosby of sexual assault.

Now that accuser, Joan Tarshis, has been joined by model Janice Dickinson, who says that the comedian sexually assaulted her in 1982.

Several more women have emerged in recent days, and their accusations also go back decades.

In the wake of all these allegations, there has been much backpedaling and second-guessing…

Cosby, for his part, has refused to address the allegations head on.

Click here to read the rest of this column on Newsworks.

Solomon Jones is an Essence bestselling author and award-winning columnist. He is the creator and editor of Solomonjones.com. Click here to learn more about Solomon