No decision yet on future of Bill Cosby mural at Ben's Chili Bowl

Ben's Chili Bowl's management and close team of the historic D.C. restaurant addressed the fate of its Bill Cosby mural to FOX 5.

"It's been there for a long time," said manager Mike Herz. "Bill Cosby was a big part of our history that's for sure, but right now, unfortunately I can't comment about it yet."

FOX 5 showed Herz before and after pictures of the Cosby mural in Philadelphia. The portrait was painted over Thursday morning.

Even so, at Ben's Chili Bowl, the mural depicting Cosby remains partly because, as Herz told us, "I've had no reaction so far. Nobody has really mentioned anything."

However, tourists Raul Carrillo and Karla Pratt did notice.

"The process is open right now so let's see what happens with the process," said Pratt.

"I think we have to wait for the decision of the judicial authorities in this case," said Carrillo.

Carrillo said Ben's Chili Bowl's mural featuring Cosby does not bother him.

"No, I think it's part of the nation's history," said Carrillo.

"I think we're going to let the country decide for us," said W. Ellington Felton.

Felton is close friends with the Northwest D.C. restaurant's owners. He said there is no timeline on when and if a decision will be made to remove the Cosby mural.

"There's no exact time, estimated time," he said. "It's just like I said, we're figuring out the right way to allow the country to decide."

Felton said the mural of Cosby remains at Ben's Chili Bowl because of another factor.

"It's out of respect for the artist, the actual artist, because it's a full mural," said Felton. "So that's really what we're waiting for."

We spoke to the artist who painted the mural depicting Cosby and he said he was commissioned to paint the mural. He completed the job and any decision on the mural's fate remains with Ben's Chili Bowl's owners.