Prison. Iconic comedian in happened cuffs, now labeled a sexually violent predator. They reaction from the women who spoke out cosbys wife says he was denied a fair trial. Nightline will be right back. Good evening. Thank you for joining us. Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh in the public now just two days away from hearing from the woman who accuses him of Sexual Assault. And while washington and the country weigh those accusations and denials, the future of the Supreme Court hangs in the balance. The shifting center of the court and what it could mean for existing landmark decisions like roe v. Wade. A new documentary explores how the issue of abortion became highly politicized in the decades since the ruling. Heres abcs Gloria Riviera. Reporter for dr. Colleen mcnicholas getting to work is a feat. She is an Abortion Provider in the midwest where access to abortion is increasingly restricted. She lives and works in missouri, a state with only two abortion clinics. Each month she also commutes to oklahoma and kansas, seeing patients in a total of four clinics across three states. In america one in four women will have an abortion in their life, so to me abortion is just basic healthcare. Were going to remove the pregnancy, okay, and when i think about how politicized this has become i wonder, you know, how did this happen . Reporter does the fact that this is such a political debate, does it ever come into the kline snik. I take care of republican women and democratic women. I take care of women who have have children, who identify as christian or muslim or atheist. When they come into that space, their visit is not about politics. They dont care what their politician thinks. Abortion is illegal reporter the abortion debate roiling this country for decades, especially after a womans constitutional right to abortion became the law of the land with roe v. Wade in 1973. The Supreme Court today ruled that abortion is completely a private matter to be decided by mother and doctor. Reporter divisions are stark. Passions on both sides running deep. I will nominate judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. The fight taking on new urgency with president trumps nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. When it toms to abortion in the contusion, this is probably the most pivotal vacancy in 40 years. Reporter kavanaugh would replace Justice Anthony kennedy and his ever important swing vote on abortion leaving the future of roe v. Wade uncertain. So essentially in every major Abortion Case since kennedy has been on the court, as he has gone, so has gone the court. Reporter those on both sides are asking if kavanaugh is confirmed, could roe v. Wade be reversed . Himmakers rikki stern and Annie Sunberg took a look at the history of this debate and looked at how some womens access to abortion in the wake of roe v. Wade is being restricted. We have to look back at the history to really understand how we got to where we are today that were living in such a partisan world. Were now looking at a president who promised to elect prolife justices and overturn roe v. Wade and thats what were seeing today. Reporter already today there are at least six states with only one abortion clinic. I do think that we are at a Pivotal Moment and were certainly dangerously close to the cliff in which access becomes completely unavailable to many places in this country. Reporter for antiabortion activists, the moment is an opportunity almost 50 years in the making. The stakes are incredibly high right now when we talk about the Supreme Court to the United States of america. We actually believe that that momentum is on our side. Reporter as a candidate trump embraced the antiabortion platform. Do you want to see the court overturn roe v. Wade . If we put another two or perhaps three justices on, thats really what that will happen, and that will happen automatically, in my opinion, because i am putting prolife justices on the court. Reporter like conservative nominees before him, judge kavanaugh has declined to say how he would vote on roe v. Wade. Instead well, as a general proposition i understand the importance of the precedent set forth in roe v. Wade. Reporter his only ruling on abortion came last year, an undocumented teen in u. S. Custody wanted to terminate her pregnancy. Kavanaugh said she should not receive an abortion while in custody calling it abortion on demand. Kristen hawkins hopes the nomination could eliminate protections for abortion. I first met her at the march to life. I speak to you pregnant with my fourth child, my first daughter. We are the prolife generation im here in indiana on the justice for life tour reporter hawkins is part of a coalition of conservative groups that embarked on a National Tour to generate support for kavanaugh. And we are going to confirm kavanaugh. Reporter and with crisis due to Sexual Assault allegations hawkins is standing by him. We believe that accusers have the right and should speak out. I find it interesting that when we look at judge kavanaughs case though its, you know, guilty until proven innocent. Its not the other way around. Reporter whatever kavanaughs future hawkins feels confident. The socalled Prolife Movement has an ally in president trump. Under my administration we will always defend the very first right in the declaration of independence, and that is the right to life. Reporter trumps courting of the antiabortion vote mirrors that of former president ronald reagan. Reagan was told to get the support of evangelical voters which he will need in order to win. You really have to support profamily which means prolife policy. Reporter but i belie but i believe in abortion we are takinumanlife. Reporter he wasnt always in favor of prolife. It was the first law that basically allowed legal abortion. Reporter and our current president started out pro. Ceceoi reporter only to later pivot as a candidate to the antiabortion platform. The filmmakers explore the aggressive tactics of many antiabortion activists, like troy newman from operation rescue. His organization protests outside abortion clinics. Weve been very effective in targeting particular abortionists. If they dont have an abortionist the place closes down, and when abortion clinics close, babies get saved. Reporter the these are clinics weve closed down and put them out of business, ocean side, lawrence, kansas. I like to look at them as a trove wall. Weve probably closed down hundreds of abortion clinics, and its the one thing that im most proud. Reporter dr. Mcnicholas has firsthand experiences with protesters. You drive up to work and what do you typically see here . And people come through. These babies dont want to die today, colleen. When i started out, i thought abortion would be part of my practice. Just like people need hysterectomies they will need abortion and i realized in conservative states its hard to get an abortion. Reporter since 2011 states have implemented more than 400 restrictions on abortion access. Women have a right but states can regulate which makes it more difficult. Reporter can you describe some of the restrictions that have come into place and how it makes it hardtory do what you do. Mandatory waiting periods, and they can be anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. Mandated counseling. Most or all of the places that i practice in also have insurance bans meaning that both public and private Insurance Companies f roreporter those who wante v. Wade reversed feel the timet is advancing quickly. We see this battle as victory on its way. Reporter does it feel like youre on the front lines of this . What i feel like is that i am at the front lines of a battle to protect women and to help them get the care and respect and dignity that they deserve. Reporter sounds like a foot soldier. And soldiering on. Reporter for now mcnicholas is packing her bags to get to work as long as she can. For nightline im Gloria Riviera in st. Louis, missouri. This production is now on netflix. Abc news will have live coverage of the confirmation hearing of judge kavanaugh and his accuser on thursday morning. Next, bill cosby spending his first night in state prison. The collapse of an icon. U every . Its time to take back control with stelara®. For adults with moderately to severely active crohns disease, stelara® works differently. Studies showed relief and remission with dosing every 8 weeks. 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There is talk of an appeal, but tonight, tonight belongs to the woman, the women who lived in silence and shame for decades, but n Lindsey Davis. Reporter did you ever think that this day was going to come . Ive dreamt of this day for 32 years, and i turned 50. Its the best birthday present ever. Reporter an emotional end to whats been a very long road for the women who have come to be known as the cosby accusers. You are a simple and disgusting human being, and until your death, you deserve every bit of suffering that jail time and prison might bring to you. Any comment, sir. Reporter the comedian once known as americas dad bill cosby taken into custody today after being sentenced to three to ten years in total confinement in either county jail or state prison. Its the conclusion to the jurys decision back in april that found him guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004. 81yearold cosby now classified as a sexually violent predator. The fact that he was deemed a violent sexualere means not only is he going to have to be treated differently while in pron gets out, if he gets o,ut, hes going to have to register wherever he lives for the rest of his life. Reporter the cosby accusations would help ignite the hashtag movement. Dozens of the women have filled the cover of new York Magazine in 2015. Cosby says any encounters with constand and the others were consensual and plans to appea his decision. This has been the most sexist and wrong trial in the United States. Reporter cosby chose to remain silent. His accusers did not. Constand wrote a fivepage victim impact statement which the jumping referenced during his sentencing. Bill cosby took my healthy young spirit and crushed it, she wrote. His wife of 54 years, camille cosby, not present in court today but claiming the d. A. Used falsified evidence against her husband writing in a statement eawe and prove that bill cosby was denied his right to a fair trial. Hell have to serve at least three years in prison. Not a day less. At that point he might be eligible for release. The question is he going to survive that time in prison . Reporter six months ago the comedian was found guilty of three counts of aggregated and indecent assault. A jury of seven men and five women taking 14 hours to unanimously decide cosby was guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his pennsylvania home in 2004. This is a lifealtering experience for any woman, any victim, and the person who i think needs to be heralded for what she has done is drea. Reporter it is the ultimate fall from grace for comedian once known at his wholesome image. We knew him for his comedy. Hey, hey, hey. Reporter his shows, and, of course, the jello. You know how the kids love jello pudding. Reporter he was a cultural trailblazer. In 1965 cosby broke through as the first black actor to star in a lead role in a network show i spy. Sits like this, and they are at the these sneer and in the 1980s who could forget the cosby show. It would be the most watched show of the entire decade. He made people, especially in the Africanamerican Community feel that the depiction of a dad who was a doctor, who was married to a wife who was very accomplished and who he loved depicted something about themselves. Reporter postcosby show he transitioned from everyones favorite father to perhaps everyones crotchety grandfather. Everybody knows its important to speak english except these knuckleheads. He was with the way people were bringing up their children and sharply critical of the way young people were behaving. Reporter early throne may have been signs of a darker side at least in his comedy routes sh fly. Reporter one of his most popular gags, giving a woman an aphrodisiac. Put us in her drink. Reporter rumors of his alleged behavior seemed to spark for years but what sparked the explosion came from another comedian, hannibal burke. I can talk down to you because i had a successful sitcom. Reporter when this clip from burres standup act went viral in 2014, a flood of women came forward with strikingly similar stories that span decades and seemed to follow a pattern that cosby allegedly drugged his victims and then assaulted them while they were passed out. I sat down with cosby in 2015. Good to see you. Reporter as he promoted a Nonprofit Organization and was defiant in the face of the womens claims and the effect they might have on his legacy. Are you concerned at all that given the allegations that that may overshadow your message . Its interesting. Reporter this is a situation thats unprecedented. My family. My friends. I have been in this business 52 seen anything like this, and reality is the situation, and i cant speak. Reporter a young person comes up to you and says, you know, my mom says youve done some bad things. How will you answer them if they are pressing you . Are you guilty . Did you do it . Are the allegations true . I am prepared to tell this young person the truth about life. Reporter two months after that interview, a bombshell civil deposition was released. In it, the description of of a 2004 encounter between cosby and Andrea Constand. Cosbys own words creating the first real cracks in his public image. Tonight the man who so many women say eluded punishment for so long is spending his first night of many behind bars. Now this case was about Andrea Constand, but does it feel like vindication for both of you . Yes, yes, it does. One of the things i was most struck by today that he probably has had the first sense of helplessness that hes ever had in his life. He was taken somewhere he didnt want to go by people he didnt want to go with to do something he didnt want to do, and thats what he inflicted on us. The whole thing is sad. Its not a day for celebration. Its a shame that it ever happened at all. Reporter for nightline, im Lindsey Davis in norristown, pennsylvania. Well be right back. My gums are irritated. I dont have to worry about that, do i . Actually, you do. Harmful bacteria lurk just below the gum line. Crest gum detoxify works below the gum line to neutralize harmful plaque bacteria and help reverse early gum damage. And, now theres new crest gum and enamel repair. It gives you clinically proven healthier gums and helps repair and strengthen weakened enamel. Gum detoxify and gum and enamel repair, from crest. Gums are good, so is my checkup crest. Healthy, beautiful smiles for life. 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