Bill Cosby: Jury finds embattled comedian liable in sexual battery case

(CNN) A Los Angeles jury found embattled comedian Bill Cosby liable in a civil case brought by Judy Huth, a woman who claimed he sexually assaulted her as a teenager in the 1970s.

The jury, comprised of eight women and four men, awarded Huth $500,000 in damages. No punitive compensation was awarded.

Huth first filed the case in 2014, claiming sexual battery and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The original filing stated that the incident happened in 1974 when Huth was 15 years old, but the timeline was later revised to 1975, when Huth was 16.

Judy Huth (left) arrives outside the courthouse for the start of her civil trial against actor Bill Cosby, on June 1, 2022 at Los Angeles Superior Court in Santa Monica, California.

Through his lawyers, Cosby, 84, has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct.

In her complaint, Huth told of meeting Cosby at a park where he was filming a movie. After befriending Huth and a friend, Cosby allegedly invited them to join him at his tennis club. From there, Huth alleged, the comedian invited them to a house where he served the young women multiple alcoholic drinks and then took them to the Playboy Mansion.

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Marilyn Manson sexual assault lawsuit from former assistant dismissed

A judge has dismissed a case from Marilyn Manson's former assistant, who accused the embattled musician of sexual assault, battery and harassment.

In an order of dismissal obtained by USA TODAY, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern on Wednesday dismissed Ashley Walters' "entire action" against the musician, which alleged Manson (whose real name is Brian Warner) used "his position of power, celebrity and connections to exploit and victimize (her) during her employment" from August 2010 to October 2011.

In the dismissal, Stern dismissed the case "with prejudice," which means that Walters will not be able to file the same claims in Los Angeles Superior Court again. Stern said Walters had "too few facts" and pleaded "too late," according to reports from CBS News and Deadline.

"We are deeply disappointed in the court’s decision today. If allowed to stand, this decision would drastically limit the ability of victims of abuse to obtain justice through the legal system," Walters' lawyers told USA TODAY in a statement Thursday, adding that the court "based its decision on the timeliness of Ashley's claims and not the merits."

Walters also sent a statement saying she's "disheartened in the court’s decision" because of "the message it sends to other survivors out there trying to balance how they process abuse with arbitrary court deadlines."

USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Manson for comment.

Ashley Walters vs. Marilyn Manson:Marilyn Manson’s former assistant sues him for sexual assault, battery

Walters originally filed her complaint in May 2021 with details accusing Manson of treating her "like his property," adding that he repeatedly "offered Walters up to his influential industry friends and associates," giving his friends permission to grope, kiss and "have her."

At the Spike TV Scream Awards in September 2010, Walters alleged Manson pushed her "onto the lap of an actor," who "proceeded to kiss Walters and keep her on his lap," according to the suit. A month later, Warner offered her up to a director, who "groped" Walters, "cornered her and shoved his hand up her skirt while covering her mouth so his date could not hear."

Search:Authorities search Marilyn Manson's home amid allegations of physical, sexual abuse

Warner fired Walters in 2011 after accusing her of "trying to sabotage his career," according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that Warner continued to "threaten her, accused her of stealing artwork from his home, and hacked into her Facebook account."

Walters says she decided to come forward with her allegations after being contacted by a group of individuals who have been allegedly victimized by Warner, including actress Esmé Bianco, Evan Rachel Wood and Ashley Morgan Smithline. (Smithline accused the rocker of raping, biting and whipping her during their relationship more than a decade ago.).

'Phoenix Rising':Evan Rachel Wood alleges Marilyn Manson made her drink his blood in new doc

Manson moved to dismiss Bianco's case against him, but a judge denied his motion in October, and the case is still proceeding in Central California's District Court.

Wood’s HBO documentary "Phoenix Rising" released in March focuses on her depiction of a toxic and turbulent relationship with Warner, and how she's attempted to take back the narrative with her advocacy work through The Phoenix Act, which is also the name of the California bill she backed that extended the statute of limitations for domestic felonies.

HBO's 'Phoenix Rising':Evan Rachel Wood, Marilyn Manson and why her antisemitism allegations matter

More:Marilyn Manson sues Evan Rachel Wood for defamation, fraud amid sex abuse allegations

In total, more than a dozen women have made allegations of sexual impropriety against Manson, but not all of them have filed lawsuits.

Contributing: Cydney Henderson, David Oliver

Has Twitter's cancel culture gone too far?

The latest celebrity to enter the social discourse surrounding online cancellation: Nick Cannon.

The comedian’s name trended on Twitter on July 15 after he was fired by ViacomCBS over “hateful speech.” The news added fuel to the debate over whether holding celebrities accountable for their opinions has gone too far.

Some argued that the host of "Wild 'n Out," which airs on VH1 and MTV, should be “canceled,” which often entails boycotting a famous person’s work. Others asked: “What happened to freedom of speech?”

Twitter has become a powerful court of public opinion and "cancel culture" plays a role. The phenomenon occurs when people get upset about something that a company or person has done or something they have said. It also can be divisive with opposers saying threats of cancellation stifles free speech.

It's hard to deny that cancel culture has sparked important conversations and change, such as when #Oscarssowhite trended for the first time. Since then, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has made efforts to diversify its ranks. Twitter also helped elevate the complaints and charges of sexual assault, sexism and unfair treatment of women during the #MeToo movement.

But the strength of cancel culture can also ravage careers and lives. And there are cases where the people on Twitter don't have all the facts and perhaps took on the role of judge and jury without having an accurate picture of the story behind their ire.

Getting "canceled" can mean being removed in many ways. In recent weeks, episodes of "Live PD" and "Cops" were pulled from the air after George Floyd's death sparked questions surrounding misleading police story lines. Last year, comedian Shane Gillis was fired from "Saturday Night Live" after people unearthed old, offensive comments. Others have faced a similar fate.

But has the backlash gone too far? The answer isn't clear cut, experts say.

“Society is still grappling with what’s considered ‘too far’ on the internet,” said Anne Charity Hudley, the chair of linguistics of African America at the University of California. “Something that can be used for good can also be weaponized. Everything can go too far; even free speech can go too far.”

'Keep this energy up':Black-owned businesses see surge of interest amid racism protests

Goya products boycott

The internet recently came down hard on Goya Foods after its CEO praised President Donald Trump. People vowed not to support the brand, and the now embattled chief executive called the backlash “suppression of speech.” Others who faced "cancellation" include Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute from "Vanderpump Rules" and YouTube influencer James Charles.

In Cannon’s case, the comedian said on Facebook that he was an "advocate for people's voices to be heard openly, fairly and candidly." The post came after ViacomCBS severed ties with the entertainer over an episode of his podcast “Cannon's Class”, where he “promoted hateful speech and spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.”

The cancel culture debate hit a high point this month when Harper’s Magazine published a letter proposing that successful writers and editors felt stifled by a growing public intolerance.

On the flip side, professionals who specialize in social movements say cancel culture was birthed from groups of people growing tired of others abusing power by controlling the narrative of marginalized communities.

“People have learned over time, and over decades, that sometimes you have to make a little bit of noise on social media in order for people to be held accountable,” said Apryl Alexander, professor of psychology at the University of Denver.

It’s easy for the cancel culture movement to get wound into a game of false equivalence, with some people calling for justice while others worry about expressing themselves, experts said.

"Yes, there is freedom of speech and people should be allowed to voice their opinions," Alexander said. "But when they use that voice and it's causing harm, we do need to address the harm."

Some of the people who have been on the receiving end of cancellation were charged or convicted of crimes, such as rape and sexual assault, as in the Harvey Weinstein case.

Too big to cancel?

Despite disturbing revelations, sometimes people aren’t ready to let go of their idols.

"Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon was at the epicenter of digital backlash in March after old photos of him wearing Blackface surfaced. It wasn’t his first racial indiscretion, yet the show remains on the air. Old racist tweets from songstress Camila Cabello surfaced in 2019. As of June, she’s still the face of L'Oreal in commercials. Both issued a public apology.

“That’s one of the most concerning parts, many of these individuals go on living their lives without being truly canceled or held accountable for the things they did or said,” Alexander said.

Short attention spans allow many people to avoid long-term cancellation, experts say. Today’s headline is often forgotten when something scandalous comes out tomorrow. Also, calls to cancel someone can be made by anyone, including people who never supported the entertainer in the first place.

Getting doxed

Cancel culture is tethered to other social media occurrences that can cause real harm.

Sometimes, when people voice controversial opinions online, they get doxed, or have their private information researched and posted, by a digital vigilante. There are instances where the wrong person’s information was shared, and others where the content was misinterpreted.

In one case in May, a Santa Monica woman said in an opinion piece published by USA TODAY that her life was threatened by a “social media mob” that misunderstood what was really happening in a 34-second clip. The video showed her holding a power drill in Santa Monica, California, after uprisings there. People on the internet alleged she was posing for an Instagram photo, but in real life, she says she was joking with local volunteer workers.

There are also elements of cyberbullying that can happen when people are “called out” for their behavior.

"Cyberbullying is a negative outcome, but it can come from both cancel culture and people trying to oppress others," said Alexander of the University of California.

But it can lead to change, too

Cancellation, in most cases, isn't permanent. But widespread calls to boycott or call out people, companies and institutions have led to change that many view as positive.

Think back to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. When activist April Reign sparked the hashtag in 2015, the nominees for the prestigious acting awards visibly lacked diversity. The Academy responded to the outcry by setting inclusion goals, and in 2020 announced that it had more than doubled the number of minority members since 2016.

And social media-spun uprisings have contributed to the calls for racial justice in America. When people online point out the issues and provide video proof online, it has led to people being arrested and, sometimes convicted, of crimes or changes to policy.

"Social media has allowed people to organize more comprehensively and react more quickly," Alexander said. "Changes are happening in terms of police departments, universities and schools looking at their anti-blackness policies. Now, how do we sustain it? That's the next big question."

Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.

Deshaun Watson: The NFL says it holds players to account for their ...

(CNN) It's been months since the Houston Texans agreed to trade embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns , but the furor over the deal -- described by one NFL observer as a case of "talent trumps trouble" -- just won't go away.

In March, a grand jury in Harris County, Texas, declined to charge Watson over allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct after determining there was not enough evidence to charge him with a crime. The incidents were described as "stemming from massage therapy sessions," according to a statement on the NFL website.

Meanwhile, a second grand jury in Brazoria County, Texas, in March declined to indict Watson after considering evidence in a criminal complaint alleging sexual misconduct, also during a massage therapy session.

However, Watson still faces 22 civil complaints from his accusers, many of them alleging sexual assault and misconduct during massage sessions. Two of Watson's accusers appeared on HBO's Real Sports on Tuesday, providing graphic details of what they say happened in the sessions -- and speaking of their shock and revulsion at the news of his signing.

"It's just like a big screw you," Ashley Solis said on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel."That's what it feels like. That we don't care. He can run and throw, and that's what we care about."

Watson has repeatedly denied the accusations of sexual assault and misconduct made against him, and Watson's attorney Rusty Hardin said in a statement "I believe that any allegation that Deshaun forced a woman to commit a sexual act is completely false."

NFL officials were scheduled to meet with Watson last week, as the fallout from his trade continues, according to NFL.com , per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. A decision on his potential suspension is looming, but timelines for this remain unclear.

Hardin told CNN that Watson met with the NFL for three days. The league has also requested one more day, though the date and location have not yet been determined, added Hardin.

"I can't give you a timeline,'' NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters in a press conference Tuesday. "I think we're nearing the end of the investigative period and then at some point this will be handled by our disciplinary officer. And that will happen shortly. And then we'll see where that comes out.''

Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans calls a play at the line of scrimmage during a game against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Houston, Texas.

Journalist Melissa Jacobs, founder and managing editor of 'The Football Girl,' told CNN that after Watson's signing with the Browns, she felt "disgust, disappointment, I guess, ickiness, but also not surprised at all because we saw the makings of this happening."

Watson's five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract from the Browns would be the highest guaranteed money given to an NFL player, according to ESPN. If a player is fully guaranteed, money in a player contract is protected for skill, cap and injury. Cleveland is set to begin organized team activities on May 24.

At an introductory news conference with the Browns in March, when asked about his off-the-field situation, Watson answered: "I don't have any regrets. Like I said before, the things that are off the field right now that came up caught me by surprise because I never did anything that these people are alleging."

Watson's attorney Rusty Hardin told CNN he couldn't predict the outcome of the civil cases but added: "We really strongly believe that he didn't do what he's accused of doing."

"I'm struck by the way people have just moved on without recognizing the significance of the law enforcement decision that there was no crime committed," he said.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on March 2, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski in March defended the decision to trade for Watson, saying, "I think Deshaun's ready to make a positive impact on this community and I can tell you, just with my time spent with Deshaun in the past few days -- getting to know him and getting to know this person -- I'm looking forward to this community getting to know this person."

However, some say the trade is hard to stomach given Watson still faces numerous civil suits regarding allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

One of the civil suits filed called Watson a "serial predator," and others also filed in April allege he "assaulted and harassed" the women by "exposing himself" or "touching (them) with his penis." Another additionally alleges Watson tried to make one woman perform oral sex on him.

"It's not to say that Deshaun Watson should never be allowed to play in the NFL," added Jacobs. "It's just that there's still civil cases ongoing and the NFL investigation is ongoing.

"So why not let the legal process play out? It's just one of the most in-your-face examples of 'talent trumps trouble' that I feel like the NFL has ever had."

Testing the personal conduct policy

Watson remains under investigation by the NFL -- though Commissioner Roger Goodell said there was "no time frame" on a decision by a joint disciplinary officer.

"Obviously, these are serious charges. We're looking at this seriously," Goodell told reporters in March.

"We now have obviously at least resolution from the criminal side of it. Obviously there are still civil charges that are going on. So our investigators hopefully will have access to more information, and that will be helpful obviously in getting to the conclusion of what are the facts and was there a violation of the personal-conduct policy," he said.

Under that policy, Goodell could choose to place a player on the exempt list "when a player is formally charged with a crime of violence" or when an NFL investigation "leads the commissioner to believe that a player may have violated" the policy.

The exempt list is a device the NFL can use to place players on paid leave while they are under investigation if it is thought they might have violated the league's personal conduct policy.

What is the exempt list? The exempt list is a device the NFL can use to place players on paid leave while they are under investigation if it is thought they might have violated the league's personal conduct policy. Players can also be temporarily placed on the list if a "violation relating to a crime of violence is suspected but further investigation is required" to allow the league to conduct its own investigation. According to the NFL's personal conduct code, players found to have engaged in the following behavior will be subject to discipline -- "even if the conduct does not result in a criminal conviction." Behaviors include: Actual or threatened physical violence against another person, including dating violence, domestic violence, child abuse, and other forms of family violence

Assault and/or battery, including sexual assault or other sex offenses

Violent or threatening behavior toward another employee or a third party in any workplace setting

Stalking, harassment, or similar forms of intimidation

Players can also be temporarily placed on the list if a "violation relating to a crime of violence is suspected but further investigation is required" to allow the league to conduct its own investigation.

Running back Kareem Hunt was placed on the exempt list in 2018 after he was seen on video pushing and kicking a woman in a Cleveland hotel. He was released by the Kansas City Chiefs shortly after.

The Browns signed Hunt just months later, despite a league suspension hanging over his head. Weeks later, Hunt was suspended for eight games for violating the NFL personal-conduct policy, stemming from physical altercations at his Cleveland residence in February 2018 and at a resort in Ohio in June.

At the time of writing, a decision on Watson's playing status has not been made. He would, in theory, be able to play when the season begins in September, though a decision on a potential punishment or suspension is expected soon.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Trevor Bauer looks toward home during the fourth inning of the the team's baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on May 21, 2021, in San Francisco.

A few weeks after Watson was traded to the Browns, another major US sports league showed its commitment to punishing players found to have violated its domestic violence and sexual assault policy. Major League Baseball announced in April it suspended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for two years (324 championship season games) without pay, for violation of the league's domestic violence and sexual assault policy following an extensive investigation. Bauer has consistently denied the allegations.

In February, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said Bauer would not face criminal charges for the sexual assault accusations.

As far as the NFL, commentators say the league's and teams' treatment of other players accused of wrongdoing works as a blueprint for how it regards a player's personal conduct.

"As far as actions off the field and what priorities are, I think that line was drawn a long time ago with any number of people you could point to that were brought back to help teams win games after various levels of transgression," Tim Benz, a sports columnist for the Tribune-Review, told CNN Sports.

"Whether it was Kareem Hunt or Michael Vick, or when Ben Roethlisberger was accused of sexual misconduct twice and was never actually charged with any crimes, he still got suspended for six games and was brought back and went on to have a career that they just honored him for for an entire year in Pittsburgh.

"Josh Gordon's another example with their own drug policy, which he violated numerous times over, and every time you turn around, he gets a new job with someone," Benz added.

NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told CNN that when "players or personnel violate the policies they are held responsible and disciplined. If a player earns his way back to playing by serving a suspension and undergoing mandatory training and evaluations we will consider it," adding that that's what happened with Hunt, Vick and Roethlisberger, who had "no further discipline issues."

A "continuous assault" on women, rights groups warn

Some women's rights organizations see the Watson case as a continuation of policies and an attitude that are damaging to women.

Rosa Beltré, executive director of the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, told CNN that Watson's trade was "disheartening, but it was not a surprise."

"This is a continuous assault, as well as revictimization, and it's been the position of many businesses and organizations," Beltré said.

Football teams' and leagues' behaviors often don't match their public messaging around violence against women, she said.

"While they can have campaigns , or they could go ahead and have their players give their time, talent, supposedly for a cause, the decisions that they make normally do not walk alongside their talk."

She said that "over and over again," clubs and leagues have shown it is more important to win a championship and sell tickets than to punish players in order to demonstrate the importance of the team's values.

"So the message that they clearly sent is that once again: money, status, wins are more important than believing, supporting, seeing and recognizing the harm that is done against women by their athletes, by their boards, by their executives."

Laura Palumbo, communications director for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, said in a statement to CNN: "The survivors in this case have been vocal about how damaging it has been to witness the person who they reported for assault and abuse go without consequences and move on to achieve success and celebrated status in their personal and professional lives.

"What can be very powerful in honoring the experiences of these survivors is when we as a society recognize that people who commit acts of sexual violence sometimes abuse celebrity or authority status -- and the illusion of trust that comes with it -- to act in abusive ways and evade responsibility."

Meanwhile, Tony Buzbee, the lawyer for the women pursuing civil suits against Watson told CNN: "The NFL is a joke, when it comes to this particular issue," and said he believes the NFL didn't take its internal investigation regarding Watson seriously.

"It didn't take me very long to figure out just in that process that the NFL wasn't serious about it. They're just not serious. They're serious about how many people you can put in the stands, how much merchandise you can sell, and how far you can throw the football. They're not concerned and are not serious about, you know, codes of conduct, things that are said, done, off the field," Buzbee said.

Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns walks off the field after the Cleveland Browns OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 25, 2022 in Berea, Ohio.

He said that in interviews between the NFL investigators and Watson's accusers: "One of the very first questions asked is, 'What were you wearing?' That speaks volumes to me.

"As if, as if the women somehow were in the wrong because of something they wore at what was supposed to be a professional massage session."

McCarthy, the NFL spokesperson, told CNN "the question related to what the women were wearing was to help get a full understanding of the incidents," and said the legal team for the women did not object to the question at the time.

"It was in no way intended to... make the women feel uncomfortable or assign blame," he added.

But some experts say the NFL's handling of cases like Watson's get in the way of breaking the cycle of violence against women.

"All too often our society, criminal legal system, and private institutions fail to hold those who commit sexual harassment, assault, and abuse accountable," Palumbo said. "Whenever sexual harassment and abuse are not taken seriously and handled with impunity, this contributes to the cycle of future harm."

Beltré agrees. "You cannot talk about restorative justice or giving a person a second opportunity when they never claim or admit their wrongdoing, and they move on in life as if nothing has happened, which gives them more power and opportunity to continue hurting others.

"What the NFL and other organizations have seen is that talent is more valuable than the harm that he's causing with his behavior," she said.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns speaks during his press conference introducing him to the Cleveland Browns at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 25, 2022 in Berea, Ohio.

McCarthy told CNN the league has mandatory domestic violence and sexual assault training for everyone in the NFL, including players, coaches and staff, which were developed in conjunction with domestic violence and sexual assault experts.

Watson's attorney Hardin said that the NFL had been "totally responsible" in the way they had handled things so far.

"What they tried to avoid is any suggestion by law enforcement, that by talking to potential witnesses and potential complainants or making accusations or so they might very well get in the way of and hinder the official criminal investigation.

"Law enforcement has always preferred that private agencies who are looking into the conduct of their employees wait to conduct their investigations until the official investigation is complete," he added.

He added that the NFL has now been "very aggressively" pursuing the investigation.

Mixed reactions among fans

Some fans are angry about Watson's transfer. "I think they care," Benz told CNN. "I also think that they know if they win, (the anger will) go away."

He points to the past as evidence of this.

"There were a lot of people saying that they'd never root for the Steelers again after they brought Michael Vick in for a few weeks. I don't think that deadened the fan base in Pittsburgh by any stretch of the imagination."

Nationally, there has been a "resurgence in TV ratings and streaming numbers in the NFL this year, after two or three years of many football fans saying: 'I'll never watch the National Football League again because of the national anthem controversy," said Benz, referring to player protests that began with Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand as the national anthem played before NFL games.

"That's disappeared," he added.

"As far as the Browns case in particular, there's a franchise that is starved, perhaps more than any of the National Football League, for a Super Bowl and a football-rabid community.

"And if Deshaun Watson ends up getting them there and winning them one, I don't think any concerns that the Browns might have about the reaction of the fan base will be a whisper in their ear by the time the Vince Lombardi Trophy is hoisted in Cleveland, should it come to that," he said.

Jacobs said the NFL's handling of similar situations points to a reactive, not proactive, strategy.

"I think the NFL is very interested in problems going away, and they're very reactive to issues like diversity, and back when the Ray Rice tape came out and there was so much anger out there, and that's when they instituted their policy," she said, referring to the former running back for the Baltimore Ravens, who viciously knocked out his fiancée Janay in a casino elevator in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2014 after a night of heavy drinking. The incident was captured on surveillance video.

Rice was indefinitely suspended by the NFL for violating its domestic violence policy -- a decision he successfully appealed, though no teams went on to sign him during his free agency.

"They're never on top of these things, like ever. Those parts of their history need to be written," added Jacobs.

Once a player has been punished, she said, some TV broadcasters rarely repeat why a sanctioned player has missed games, simply telling audiences, "Oh, he was suspended for four games. Now he's back."

In the aftermath of a scandal and when a player is back on the field, "it's more of the same," Jacobs said.

"They just sort of gloss over things to make it seem as if everybody is this wonderful, altruistic person," she said.

McCarthy told CNN that the league's official website (nfl.com) and TV network (NFL Network) report on every incident and suspension.

"After Ray Rice, there were PSAs out there," Jacobs said.

Los Angeles-based filmmakers Made by Women Media created a public service announcement "NO HITS" calling on the NFL to "stop tolerating abuse."

In 2014, following the furor over Rice's behavior, the union for professional football players, the NFL Players Association, put together a commission on domestic violence to give recommendations on how to tackle domestic violence and other issues facing the league. The NFLPA is an organization separate to the NFL.

"They had brought on an advisory committee and they went to educate players and especially men to stand up when they see something. And then that just went away," Jacobs said, adding that members of the commission quit because their recommendations weren't taken seriously.

Deborah Epstein, one of the commissioners who resigned, said that she did so because of a failure by the union to act on recommendations.

"My NFLPA contacts would initially greet these ideas with a burst of enthusiasm and an indication of likely implementation, but efforts to follow up would yield nothing in the way of specific plans, and eventually communication would fade into radio silence," she wrote in an opinion piece for the Washington Post in June of 2018.

Jacobs made clear she isn't implying Watson is guilty.

"However, if you're going to allow the Deshaun Watsons of the world and people maybe in that 'probable, not definite but maybe' [category] then I do think, you as a league, have a responsibility to be open about violence against women, sexual assault, all those things like as a regular part of your programming.

"Again, talk about why these people were suspended, and offer programs to players. There just needs to be more invested into this [sports] world if you're going to allow potential perpetrators to exist in your league," she said.

Marilyn Manson released on bail after turning himself in on assault ...

Marilyn Manson turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department Friday on an outstanding warrant involving assault charges, according to police.

Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, turned himself in on an arrest warrant based in Gilford, New Hampshire, and was released on bail with conditions, Gilford Police Chief Tony Bean Burpee said in a statement to USA TODAY. Manson's lawyers made an agreement with Gilford police to serve the warrant in California. Warner was processed and released on personal recognizance bail.

The musician faces two counts of Class A misdemeanor simple assault. The accusations against Manson stem from acts that allegedly occurred while performing during a concert at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, Burpee said.

Awaiting arrest:Police expect Marilyn Manson to turn himself in to authorities on assault charges

USA TODAY has reached out to Manson's lawyer for comment.

The musician was released under conditions that he does not commit a federal, state or local crime while on release, he appears at all court proceedings and he has no contact with the alleged victim, Burpee said.

Manson will appear in the 4th Circuit Court in Laconia, New Hampshire. In a June statement Burpee gave to USA TODAY, a mid-August court appearance would be likely.

Law enforcement say the alleged assaults were not sexual in nature and involved a videographer in the stage pit, who was subcontracted to film the show.

Initially, Manson's attorney Howard King called the Gilford Police Department's claim "ludicrous" in a May statement to USA TODAY, but added that he and his client "remain committed to cooperating with authorities, as we have done throughout."

More:Marilyn Manson denies 'Game of Thrones' star Esmé Bianco's allegations of sexual assault

More allegations of abuse have been made against the rocker over the past year. Ashley Morgan Smithline is the fourth person to file suit against Manson, with her June lawsuit alleging she was sexually, emotionally and physically abused while dating him.

Among the claims in Smithline’s suit against the rocker are sexual assault, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, human trafficking and unlawful imprisonment. The model accused the rocker of raping, biting and whipping her during their relationship more than a decade ago in a People interview published May 5.

An unnamed spokesperson for Manson denied Smithline's allegations to USA TODAY, saying Manson’s relationship with her lasted less than a week. Smithline told People the two were together for more than two years and provided the outlet with emails and messages.

“We strongly deny Ms. Smithline’s claims,” the spokesperson said. “There are so many falsehoods within her claims that we wouldn’t know where to begin to answer them.”

Smithline is one of multiple women who have accused the embattled musician of assault, including his ex-fiancé Evan Rachel Wood and "Game of Thrones" actress Esmé Bianco. In April, Bianco filed a lawsuit accusing Manson of sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking, and in February, "Westworld" star Wood alleged Manson "horrifically abused" her "for years."

Manson has pushed back against Wood's claims, saying, "My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how — and why — others are now choosing to misrepresent the past, that is the truth."

If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE & online.rainn.org).

Contributing: Charles Trepany, Jenna Ryu

Ed Henry accuser adds more claims about what Fox News knew ...

The woman who accused former Fox News star Ed Henry of raping her in 2017 is doubling down on her claims that Fox News knew about his alleged misconduct against multiple women years before he was fired, and did nothing about it.

Jennifer Eckhart, a former Fox Business producer who filed a civil suit in July naming Henry and Fox News, on Monday amended the lawsuit to push back against Fox News' denial of wrongdoing.

Fox News responded to the original lawsuit by denying that anyone had raised sexual harassment concerns about Henry prior to Eckhart in June 2020. “There were no sexual harassment claims against Ed Henry at Fox News prior to Jennifer Eckhart’s claim on June 25, 2020,” the network's statement to USA TODAY said in July.

Eckhart's amended lawsuit alleges that this denial is not true. "The new allegations make clear that Fox News’ blanket denials are untruthful, and we look forward to taking discovery in this case to learn even more,” said one of her lawyers, Michael Willemin, in a statement to USA TODAY.

Eckhart cited the alleged experiences of multiple women, some of them named, who claim they were sexually harassed by Henry or engaged in sex with him out of fear of losing their jobs at the cable news channel, and their careers.

Fox News issued a statement to USA TODAY late Monday that reiterated its earlier response to Eckhart's lawsuit: that there were no claims against Henry at Fox prior to June 2020.

“Upon first learning of the allegations, we promptly commenced an independent investigation and took immediate action, firing Mr. Henry within six days of the notification on July 1, 2020," the statement said.

"FOX News takes all claims of harassment, misconduct and retaliation extremely seriously and maintains a zero tolerance policy that is strictly enforced throughout the company which is why Mr. Henry was fired within days of Ms. Eckhart’s complaint.”

In October, Henry filed a motion seeking to dismiss Eckhart's lawsuit, arguing that her claims he raped her are "malicious and defamatory." His lawyers say she sent Henry "erotic and encouraging text messages," along with salacious and explicit pictures of herself, suggesting she pursued "a consensual relationship" with him.

Eckhart rejected that argument last month. "No man is entitled to violently rape a woman because she sent him consensual-looking text messages," she told USA TODAY in a statement.

In the amended Eckhart lawsuit, one of the women named, media relations professional Brooke Hammerling, says she met Henry when he worked at CNN and described his aggressive sexual "moves," which she declined.

"I felt like swatting him away like a fly," Hammerling is quoted as saying in the lawsuit. "He was not someone that would directly impact my job so I didn’t really care."

But she said publicly, in a tweet in August after Henry was fired on July 1 and after the original lawsuit was filed three weeks later, that Fox News had to know all about what she claims was widely known by "women in the communications industry."

“No chance @foxnews didn’t know about Ed Henry," her tweet read. "He was a menace to many of us on the [communication's] side when he was at @cnn and everyone talked about it. Literally so so so gross.”

Another named woman, Roxie Marroquin, who says she met Henry in 2015 when she was 25, invited Henry to meet because she was seeking a mentor in the TV industry. At the time, Henry was the chief White House correspondent for Fox.

They agreed to meet in a Las Vegas hotel, she agreed to go to his room and then agreed to disrobe and get into a bathtub with him where he groped her and she "submitted to the pressure" of his "advances."

“I was honestly kind of afraid and frozen," she is quoted as saying in the complaint. "I felt trapped, in a way, like, ‘oh man, did I give this person the wrong impression? What happens if I don’t do this?’...So, I ended up getting in the bathtub. Fully nude. How this happens to a 25-year-old, I can’t explain, besides fear of rejecting him.”

Later, she says, Henry began to fear she would report him and began sending her threatening messages. She claims Henry sent a private investigator to warn her to “keep her mouth closed,” and who told her he knew where she lived and that Henry would sue her if she talked.

But the lawsuit doesn't say whether she told anyone in Fox News management about these alleged encounters nor does it explain how the network managers would have learned of them otherwise.

The lawsuit claims that Fox was long aware of misconduct under its roof starting in mid-2016 when the network brought in an outside law firm to investigate sexual harassment arising from allegations against the late Roger Ailes, then the network chief, and former star anchor Bill O'Reilly.

"During the investigations, multiple women came forward to complain that Mr. Henry had engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct towards them," the complaint says. "These women came forward to complain before Ms. Eckhart was raped by Mr. Henry" allegedly in a New York hotel in 2017.

Another woman Eckhart names in the complaint is Liz Claman, a Fox Business anchor for whom Eckhart once worked as an assistant. According to Eckhart, in 2016, after Henry was suspended by Fox for four months because of an affair with a Las Vegas stripper, Claman told her: "Everyone at Fox News knows that Henry is a sex addict. That’s no secret.”

In her amended complaint, Eckhart accuses Claman of forcing Eckhart to perform humiliating tasks, such as cleaning out her refrigerator, and addressing her in a demeaning and belittling manner. Eckhart also was offended that Claman would undress in front of her in her office and walk around in "nothing but underwear."

USA TODAY reached out to Claman for comment through Fox News.

Eckhart's amended lawsuit features allegations against Henry from "Jane Does" who later shared their stories with Eckhart. "Jane Doe 1," currently an associate producer for Fox News in Washington, is quoted in the amended lawsuit accusing Henry of sending her a picture of his penis soon after they met.

"Despite being warned about Mr. Henry’s lascivious behavior, Ms. Doe 1 entered into a relationship with Mr. Henry, seduced by his senior position and high profile, all enabled by Fox News," the complaint says. "Ms. Doe 1 has described her relationship with Mr. Henry as emotionally abusive. She further stated that she was 'taken advantage of because I was much younger than him. There was a power imbalance.'"

After Eckhart filed her lawsuit, Jane Doe 1 tweeted her support. The complaint accuses a Fox News human resources executive of calling her and attempting to intimidate her for publicly supporting Eckhart.

Eckhart says in her complaint that in February, after she complained about a toxic environment at Fox, she was put on a “Performance Improvement Plan” and eventually fired, even though she had up to then received numerous positive performance reviews.

“The amended complaint lays out how Fox News attempted to bury its head in the sand and refused to take appropriate action to protect its female employees, including Ms. Eckhart, all in the name of its bottom line," Eckhart's lawyer, Willemin, said in his statement.

In July, after Eckhart and Cathy Areu, who appeared as a guest on Fox, filed a joint lawsuit (they have since been separated), Fox issued a lengthy statement in response, assertingbased on findings by an independent investigation, that all of Areu's allegations against Fox were "false, patently frivolous and utterly devoid of any merit.

"We take all claims of harassment, misconduct and retaliation seriously, promptly investigating them and taking immediate action as needed — in this case, the appropriate action based on our investigation is to defend vigorously against these baseless allegations," the statement said. "Ms. Areu and Jennifer Eckhart can pursue their claims against Ed Henry directly with him, as FOX News already took swift action as soon as it learned of Ms. Eckhart’s claims on June 25 and Mr. Henry is no longer employed by the network.”

Harvey Weinstein trial: Charlize Theron named as potential witness

NEW YORK – The first week of Harvey Weinstein's sex-crimes trial is coming to a close, and Friday kicked off with a heated courtroom exchange between the judge and a member of Weinstein's legal team, and news that A-list actress Charlize Theron may be called as a witness.

Attorney Arthur Aidala filed a motion suggesting potential jurors are unable to speak freely in the screening process given the media attention surrounding the case.

"Most people do not speak in front of international media," he told Judge James Burke. "In order for citizens to be as honest and forthright as possible, we ask that jury selection be done in private.”

Burke replied: "That’s against the law! I’ll read this, but I’m generally familiar with this form of the law... I’m disagreeing with you on virtually every level."

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi also objected. "Now they want each person to be (interviewed) in private? I don’t think there’s any precedent for doing that."

In the motion, which USA TODAY obtained early Friday afternoon, Aidala says that Weinstein's defense has reviewed some of the potential jurors' questionnaires and believes many are unfairly biased against the ex-producer.

Reading them, "we have learned that (1) some jurors have not been candid in their responses; (2) at least one juror has expressed an ulterior financial motive for serving on Mr. Weinstein's trial and that he would find him guilty; (3) a number of jurors have been victims of or had exposure to sexual assault or domestic violence; and (4) nearly all jurors have heard about this case," Aidala writes.

Burke told the court he would rule on the motion after giving it a read later in the afternoon or over the weekend.

Weinstein's legal team has had little success persuading Burke to rule in their favor. Throughout the week, his defense filed motions to have Burke excused from the case and accusers' attorney Gloria Allred barred from the courtroom. The legal team also requested the trial be adjourned following new sex-crime charges filed in Los Angeles. All of the motions were denied.

The trial hit another snag Thursday when prosecutor Illuzzi suffered a medical emergency – she had something in her eye, according to the district attorney's office – and was forced to leave court before the third round of jury pre-selection.

On Friday, she told the judge she was feeling "much, much better."

Harvey Weinstein trial::Prosecutor has medical 'emergency,' gets 'something in her eye in court'

Jury screening resumed Friday with 108 new potential jurors, although only 30 to 40 people moved on in the jury selection process, according to a media pool report. Many people said they could not be fair and impartial toward Weinstein, while one man said that he had worked with one of Weinstein's charities in the past and would be "uncomfortable" if chosen for the jury.

Others said that they could be fair and impartial, despite having met or worked with members of Weinstein's defense and Theron, who's listed as a potential witness in the trial. "Like a Boss" actress Salma Hayek was also named as a potential witness.

As jury pre-selection wrapped late Friday morning, about 60 women wearing all black gathered for a protest outside the courthouse, according to the media pool report. "It's not my fault, not where I was, not how I dressed," they chanted several times. "And the rapist was you!"

The jury selection process will continue next week, and opening statements are targeted to begin Jan. 22.

Weinstein, 67, is accused of five sex crimes in New York involving encounters with two women. The embattled movie mogul was charged in May 2018, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has been free on $1 million bail (recently raised to $5 million). He has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.

If convicted, he could receive a life sentence.

Earlier this week, he was charged in Los Angeles with four sex crimes. Weinstein is accused of raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in separate incidents over two days in February 2013. A trial in that case is not likely to occur until after the New York case is resolved.

More:Harvey Weinstein charged with rape, sexual battery in Los Angeles over 2013 allegations

Kate Winslet regrets working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski

Kate Winslet says she regrets working with embattled directors Woody Allen and Roman Polanski.

During an interview with Vanity Fair, the actress broke her silence on the misconduct and sexual assault allegations surrounding the two directors. She "takes responsibility" for working with Allen, 84, on 2017's "Wonder Wheel" and Polanski, 87, on 2011's "Carnage."

"It’s like, what the (expletive) was I doing working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski?" Winslet, 44, told the outlet. "It’s unbelievable to me now how those men were held in such high regard, so widely in the film industry and for as long as they were. It’s (expletive) disgraceful."

Watch Kate Winslet and Idris Elba's deleted scene from 'Mountain Between Us'

Although Winslet said she "can’t turn back the clock," the actress said she now has "to take responsibility for the fact that I worked with them both."

"I’m grappling with those regrets, but what do we have if we aren’t able to just be (expletive) truthful about all of it?" she added.

Moving forward, Winslet said she has a duty to set a "decent example to younger women" by carefully considering the roles she accepts and the stories she tells. She admits this revelation came after working on Francis Lee's film "Ammonite," which centers around the budding love between fossil hunter Mary Anning (Winslet) and the wife of a wealthy visitor, Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan). The film premieres Friday at the largely virtual Toronto International Film Festival.

"'Ammonite' has made me really aware of being even more committed to honoring what women want to be saying for themselves in films and how we really want to be portrayed, regardless of sexual orientation," Winslet said, describing the film as "so loving, so tender and so beautiful."

She added: "Life is (expletive) short and I’d like to do my best when it comes to setting a decent example to younger women. We’re handing them a pretty (expletive) world, so I’d like to do my bit in having some proper integrity."

Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet kiss, fall in love in first trailer for Francis Lee's 'Ammonite'

This marks the first time Winslet has specifically denounced the embattled directors.

In 2017, she defended working with Allen and Polanski ahead of the "Wonder Wheel" premiere at the New York Film Festival.

"As the actor in the film, you just have to step away and say, 'I don’t know anything, really, and whether any of it is true or false,' " she told The New York Times. "Having thought it all through, you put it to one side and just work with the person. Woody Allen is an incredible director. So is Roman Polanski. I had an extraordinary working experience with both of those men, and that’s the truth."

However, Winslet changed her stance and condemned abuse of power in the film industry at the London Critics’ Circle film awards in January 2018, although she didn't go as far as naming anyone in particular.

"There are directors, producers and men of power who have for decades been awarded and applauded for their highly regarded work by both this industry and moviegoers alike," she said during her acceptance speech.

She added: "It has become clear to me that by not saying anything, I might be adding to the anguish of many courageous women and men. Sexual abuse is a crime."

Allen has been the center of much controversy since the '90s. His adoptive step-daughter, Dylan Farrow, has alleged he sexual abused her when she was a child. Allen has always denied the allegations.

And he raised eyebrows for marrying Soon-Yi Previn, the adopted daughter of longtime partner Mia Farrow, when he was 61 and she 27. They have now been married nearly 23 years.

Polanski fled the country in 1978 after pleading guilty to the rape of a 13-year-old girl. He's been unable to return to the U.S., not even to collect his best-director Oscar for "The Pianist" in 2003, or to appear at the Academy Awards ceremonies when he was nominated for best director in 1981 for "Tess."

The sexual abuse allegations against both directors resurfaced amid the #MeToo era.

Contributing: Amy Haneline, Maria Puente

Roman Polanski:Oscar winner loses his bid for Academy reinstatement

Woody Allen says abuse controversy was 'a false allegation but a great tabloid drama'

Harvey Weinstein accuser tells jury explicit assault details, says he ...

NEW YORK – After a week of emotional, often graphic testimony in the Harvey Weinstein sex crimes trial, the jury heard Wednesday from two former aspiring actresses who described being sexually assaulted by Weinstein in the mid-2000s.

Tarale Wulff, 43, the fourth woman so far to take the stand to testify about what she says Weinstein did to her, said he raped her in the summer of 2005 at his downtown apartment in New York, where she went for what she thought was a meeting about a possible role in one of his movies.

“I told him I can’t. And he answered don’t worry I have a vasectomy,” Wulff said as she described how he put her on a bed. “And I just froze. Going blank is easier for me. It’s just easier for me to get past it. I just remember getting up. I don’t remember anything in between."

She said she pulled herself together, and he took her downstairs to a car. She went back to his office and got a script but never did the audition and didn't get the part.

"I just wanted it to go away," she said, explaining that she didn't confide in anyone or call the police. "It was just easiest for me to pretend it didn’t happen and go about my day."

She said this encounter occurred a few weeks after Weinstein approached her at Cipriani Soho, a restaurant and bar downtown where she worked. She said she was cleaning the bar one night when Weinstein took her by the arm and steered her to a dark corner where he made her stand in front of him.

"He had on an (untucked) white shirt and I noticed his shirt started moving, and I realized he was masturbating under his shirt," she testified. "I froze for a second... and then ran past him."

On cross-examination, prosecutors and defense lawyers got into an argument over the timeline of Wulff's story; initially she said the rape happened in 2004, but changed the year after speaking to a friend. The defense wanted to question this friend; Judge James Burke denied it.

Wulff said she first went to Weinstein's office to look at a script and audition for a possible movie role. But she was told Weinstein wanted to see her in person so she got into a car with his driver thinking she was going to a coffee shop. Instead, she was taken to Weinstein's apartment, and without the script she was supposed to audition for.

"So you just thought you were leaving in the middle of the audition to just go see Harvey?" asked defense attorney Donna Rotunno. "Yes," Wulff answered. "For what?" Rotunno asked. "No specific reason," Wulff responded.

During cross-examination, Wulff paused frequently and stammered, saying she was unsure about times and dates. Rotunno questioned her about whether she specifically told the district attorney's office in October 2017 that Weinstein had raped her at his apartment. Wulff said she couldn't remember.

She also denied Rotunno's questions about whether prosecutors told her in 2017 that they couldn't use her as a witness against Weinstein because her memories of the encounter were "too fragmented." They suggested she see a psychologist specializing in memory issues, which she did, Rotunno said.

"Did you know you’ve seen (your psychologist) 55 times?," Rotunno asked. "And after all those sessions, the district attorney’s office was like, 'we’re going to use you in this case,' correct?"

"Yes," Wulff responded,

"After several sessions with (the psychologist), isn’t it true that you told prosecutors that you think you voiced (to Weinstein) you didn’t want to have sex?" "I don’t recall," Wulff said.

Wulff, who now works as a model, and Dawn Dunning took the stand Wednesday as a "prior bad acts" or "Molineux" witnesses – accusers whose allegations are too old to prosecute but have been allowed to testify to bolster prosecutors' case that Weinstein engaged in a pattern of sexual assault.

Dunning, 40, who met Weinstein at a nightclub where she worked, testified that she met with him over several months in 2004 about possible roles in his movies and doing a screen test.

“He would make comments about my looks and my body, but it wasn’t anything worse than what I’d heard in nightclubs," Dunning said. "I never thought it was unsafe.”

She met him in a hotel in Soho where he was working on a project in a suite packed with people working. She sensed no danger, no red flags, she said.

“I was talking with Harvey and he kind of led me into the other room, and I sat next to him on the bed, and I was wearing a skirt that day and he put his hand up my skirt,” Dunning said, starting to cry as she described Weinstein touching her.

"I stood up. I was shocked. I wasn’t expecting that to happen," she said. "He started talking really fast, he was like, don't make a big deal out of this, he said it wouldn’t happen again."

She said she left shortly after. "I was just trying to rationalize it in my head," she said, her voice breaking again. "I just gave him the benefit of the doubt that it wouldn't happen again. I didn't yell at him or scream or anything."

She said she didn't tell anyone. "I was embarrassed. I wanted to pretend like it didn't happen. I didn't want to be a victim. ...(Before), I was trying to get work from him, so it was a work relationship. It was a really big deal for me."

A few weeks later, she said she met with him again at a hotel near Park Avenue, where his assistant took her up to his room. He was wearing a bathrobe and quickly "cut to the chase," Dunning said. With the assistant in the room, he showed her contracts for three films and said they were hers if she agreed to a threesome.

"I thought he was kidding. He had kind of a crass sense of humor," she said. "When I started to leave, he started screaming at me and said, 'You'll never make it in this business!' "

She said he told her that was how Charlize Theron, Salma Hayek and other A-list actors became stars. There is no evidence, at this trial or anywhere else, that this is true, and both women have strongly denied it.

Dunning said he was yelling at her, towering over her, and she was scared.

"I just remember looking at (his assistant) and she was blank," she said. "I ran out to Park Avenue and got in the first cab I saw and went home."

On cross examination, she acknowledged under questioning by defense attorney Arthur Aidala that no one stopped her from leaving the room or blocked the door.

Dunning acknowledged that she went public in October 2017 with her description of the second encounter with Weinstein, discussing it in multiple media interviews, but did not mention the earlier encounter until she called the district attorney's office in July 2019.

"Just shy of two years, after all those interviews, you said you have some more information I want to tell you," Aidala asked.

"You thought it was weird but not so weird you had to leave?" Aidala said. "Is it true that you told (CNN's) Don Lemon that you thought it was weird, but not so weird you had to leave?"

"I never said that," Dunning replied.

On Tuesday, the court got a moment of welcome levity, thanks to a chihuahua named Peanut.

When Elizabeth Entin, the ex-roommate of Weinstein accuser Miriam "Mimi" Haleyi, took the stand, she recalled an instance when the embattled movie mogul allegedly came to their New York City apartment unannounced in 2006.

"My chihuahua started chasing him around and he was saying, 'Get this thing away from me,' " Entin said. Before Weinstein's alleged rape of Haleyi that summer, "we thought it was just this pathetic older man trying to hit on Miriam and had a laugh about it."

Harvey Weinstein trial:Roommate backs Mimi Haleyi's accusation, says 'it sounded like rape'

Haleyi is one of the two accusers whose accusations form the basis of the charges against Weinstein.

This week, after Wulff and Dunning testify, the other complaining witness will take the stand. Jessica Mann says Weinstein raped her at a hotel in 2013.

A third and final Molineux witness will likely testify Monday, completing the bulk of a prosecution case that began last Wednesday. The trial opened Jan. 6 and could last until early March.

Weinstein, 67, is charged with five sex crimes, including rape and sexual assault, stemming from encounters with Haleyi and Mann. He pleaded not guilty and has denied all nonconsensual sexual encounters.

'I'm being raped':Harvey Weinstein accuser sobs as she describes trying to fight him off

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