State Reward in Cosby Case Is Withdrawn

Gov. Pete Wilson on Friday withdrew a $50,000 reward that Lt. Gov. Gray Davis had offered for information in the shooting death of Ennis Cosby.

“We received a request from the Cosby family to withdraw the reward,” said Wilson spokesman Sean Walsh. “We discussed it with [Los Angeles Police Chief Willie] Williams, and he said it would in no way impede his investigation, so we are withdrawing it.”

Davis had offered the reward while serving as acting governor. Wilson was out of the state from Jan. 11 to Jan. 31 on a trade mission to Asia.

“The Cosby family has my heartfelt sympathy,” Wilson said in a statement. “I also regret that the Cosby family has had to respond to a barrage of media attention with regards to rewards offered by the state and other entities.

“It is my hope that withdrawing this reward brings a close to this issue and takes a burden off the Cosby family.”

Ennis Cosby, 27, the son of entertainer Bill Cosby, was shot to death early Jan. 16 while changing a tire on a road just off the San Diego Freeway at the top of the Sepulveda Pass. There have been no arrests.

Cosby spokesman David Brokaw said Wilson’s action was appreciated by Bill and Camille Cosby, who had asked that no taxpayer money be used as a reward.

Several rewards--including one offered by Los Angeles County--have been dropped in recent days. But three--a $25,000 bounty offered by the city of Los Angeles, and rewards of $200,000 and $100,000 offered by tabloid newspapers--remain on the books.