A topless protester screamed "Women's Lives Matter" and "Bill Cosby Is A Rapist"
outside the courthouse on Monday before the comedian's sexual assault retrial.
You're watching What's Trending, I'm Candace Carrizales. You can subscribe for
more social media news every day. Cosby's first trial ended 10 months ago
in a deadlocked jury, but the retrial is different since the judge is allowing
5 different women to present their stories of how Cosby "allegedly" drugged
and raped them. The woman got within a few feet of Cosby before being tackled
by police and dragged out of a bush. Appears they are now taking Bill Cosby
around... A very, very tense moment here. She had Women's Lives
Matter and the names of Cosby's victims written on her body. The woman's been
identified as 39-year-old Nicole Rochelle. As an actress, she appeared on
Clarissa Explains It All, Law & Order, and NYPD Blue. In the early
1990s, she appeared in four episodes of The Cosby Show as Davina and Danielle
under the name Nicole Leach. And in 2016, she appeared in a music video for
artists Bart & Baker titled: "Why Does Love Always End In Tears."
Rochelle is on Twitter, but is not particularly active on the platform.
Within a few seconds of taking off her shirt, she was removed from the area and
charged with disorderly conduct. Honestly, too bad the retrial wasn't in Columbus,
Ohio where I'm from because it's legal to just walk around topless. She would
have had no case. All cities should be topless. Shoutout to Columbus. Love it.
Afterwards, she told the Associated Press: "The main goal was to make Cosby
uncomfortable because that is exactly what he has been doing for decades to
women and to show him that the body can be aggressive and empowered." She even
mentioned to reporters that she didn't have any personal bad experience with
Cosby while she was filming the show. According to activist Inna Shevchenko,
Rochelle is the part of the group FEMEN, which participated in the protest. FEMEN,
a European feminist group, has staged similar topless protests around the
world. The National Organization for Women also organized a protest outside
the courthouse. New York NOW president Sonia Ossorio said: "We are here to stand
up for Cosby's 57 victims and to educate the public about the realities of
gender-based violence. How does a man get away with sexually abusing and raping
nearly 60 women before being held accountable? We are here to set the tone,
and send a message that the era of impunity ends now." Opening statements in
the trial were due to start today, but they were delayed after a juror told
someone she believed Cosby to be guilty. Cosby's lawyers are asking for
that juror to be dismissed. Cosby is 80 years old and faces three counts of
aggravated indecent assault for which he faces 10 years in prison
each. Opinions online are mixed about the effectiveness of these kinds of protests.
@addiction2books said: "I don't understand the topless protest thing for
a trial against a man that's raped and assaulted so many women. Maybe just me...
idk. Kinda odd imo." @inLwithLbeingL said:
"Women shouldn't feel embarrassment for going topless. Men don't feel any and
society doesn't judge them. Another double standard. I couldn't do what she
did, but that's because I was raised religious/raised was shamed for
being female in the female body. Glad for those who shake off the shackles!" Like I
said before, it's legal to be topless in Columbus, Ohio. People are doing that
all the time! You're not like walking around the city,
but they're free to be comfortable in their bodies and stuff, so I think it's
cool that she did it, and if you want to do that that's your choice and your
decision and you know I think it's a powerful statement and like that's cool
if you want to do it, you know? Women are uncomfortable every day, so I think it's
cool that she was like now it's your turn to feel uncomfortable. If you feel
uncomfortable by this protest then take a look at yourself maybe and also women
aren't comfortable all the time, you know? Do you guys think topless protesting is
an effective way to get people on board for the cause you're protesting? Let me
know in the comments down below. I've been Candice Carrizales. For more
stories like this, you can check out whatstrending.com. Thanks for watching.