Bill Cosby is preparing to return to court to battle the numerous allegations of sexual assault that were brought against him. The first trial ended in a mistrial last summer after 12 jurors spent 52 hours in a deadlock. Prosecutors promised they would be back with more evidence, and now, Cosby is heading back to court to fight for his innocence.
Although over 50 women claim that Cosby sexually assaulted them, almost all of the cases fell outside of the status of limitations. Andrea Constand was the only woman that prosecutors were able to use to prove Cosby had committed rape, but it looks like that is about to change in the mistrial. Prosecutors were only allowed to call one additional woman to the stand in the original case, but this time, five women will be allowed to testify against Cosby.
The #Metoo and #TimesUp movements became trending campaigns after the conclusion of Cosby's original case. Men like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey watched their careers crumble as victims came forward, displaying their strength in unison. Women across the nation are feeling more empowered than ever in the wake of the movements that aim to destroy rape culture, and shine a light on men who use their power to gain sexual dominance over women. Jury selection for Cosby's mistrial begins today, and now the disgraced comedian will face the full power of the #Metoo movement that was not around to tear him down a year ago. Undoubtedly, several new jurors will feel a connection to the movement, meaning that Cosby may not get off so easily this time around.