promoearn: What changed since Bill Cosby's first trial? #MeToo

Thursday, April 26, 2018

What changed since Bill Cosby's first trial? #MeToo

Bill Cosby raises gestures as he leaves the Montgomery

From 'America's Dad' to 'guilty'

Bill Cosby was convicted of three counts of aggravated indecent assault Thursday in his sexual-assault retrial. A lot changed from the June 2017 trial in which the jury deadlocked: Prosecutors were allowed to call five other accusers, Cobsy was allowed to call on a former friend of accuser Andrea Constand, and between the first trial and the retrial, the Me Too movement shook the nation. "The pressure to be politically correct coming from the Me Too movement should not but unfortunately could influence the jury," said attorney Lara Yeretsian, who followed the case. During deliberations, the jury asked for the legal definition of consent. (Though some men lost their jobs due to Me Too accusations, fewer have faced legal action.) Many women celebrated the conviction, including actresses Rose McGowan and Patricia Arquette . More than 60 women have accused the comedy icon of drugging and assaulting them, dating back to the 1960s.

A lot happened in Washington on Thursday

•	Pompeo: The Senate voted 57-42 to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo as secretary of State, despite Democrats' objections over his views on reproductive and LGBTQ rights. Pompeo will play a key role in negotiations with North Korea.
•	Mueller: The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bipartisan bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired in the midst of the Russia investigation — putting pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to allow a vote by the full Senate, which he's said he won't do. President Trump's new lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, renewed talks with Mueller over the prospect of presidential testimony. Trump, meanwhile, accused the Justice Department of a "witch hunt" against him.
•	Pruitt: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told lawmakers he has "nothing to hide" as he faces accusations of ethical and spending missteps, including renting a $100,000-a-month private jet and spending $43,000 on a soundproof phone booth.
•	Trump fit in a photo op with kids for "take your child to work day."

Two more things on Toronto

As Toronto gets back to normal after Tuesday's van attack that killed 10 people, two aspects are getting highlighted. One is police constable Ken Lam's ability to arrest suspect Alek Minassian peaceably, which has received worldwide praise. The second is " incel," which stands for "involuntary celibate." Minassian's reported use of the term has drawn attention to online communities of men angry because women won't have sex with them. Posts span from some expressing loneliness, others misogyny and some violence against women.

At least we still have the Mustang

Ford proclaimed the end of an era on Thursday. The automaker said it will no longer produce the Taurus, Fiesta and Fusion sedans in the U.S., making room for more popular SUVs and pickup trucks. Before Honda and Toyota dominated the sedan scene with their respective Accords and Camrys, the Ford Taurus was America's car. Ford's decision represents a larger trend of American drivers moving away from passenger cars and hopping behind the wheel of an SUV or truck.

The Short List is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY.

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