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Former University of Kentucky student pleads guilty to assault in racist attack captured on video
A former University of Kentucky student pleaded guilty Monday to assault and other charges for a racist attack on a Black student that was captured on video.
Sophia Rosing, 23, pleaded guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of disorderly conduct and public intoxication, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
Rosing, who is white, attacked a Black student in 2022 while she was working in a campus residence hall. Rosing was arrested the night of the assault and later expelled from school and banned from campus by the university president.
Rosing had been previously indicted by a grand jury on six counts, including assault and public intoxication, CBS affiliate WKYT reported.
Rosing faces up to 1 year in jail and 100 hours of community service, according to Peters. She is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 17.
The attack was captured on video and posted to multiple social media platforms. Kylah Spring said in the video that Rosing hit her multiple times and kicked her in the stomach. Rosing could be heard using the n-word and “b*****” throughout the video.
Rosing’s attorney, Fred Peters, told the newspaper the guilty plea came after a mediation with the two parties.
“A lot of things got said, apologies were made and we worked it out,” Peters said of the session. “She has had a lot of time to think about what she has done, and she wrote a nice letter of apology.”
But Spring told WLEX after the hearing that she did not believe Rosing was remorseful.
“I feel that a person that is remorseful takes actions that are moving towards proving they are remorseful,” Spring said. “Not just words.”
In a message to students and staff after the incident, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said the student who was attacked “acted with professionalism, restraint and discretion.”
“Let us take this moment, painful and ugly though it is, to remind ourselves of the work we must remain committed to as a community where everyone is welcome and feels that they belong,” Capilouto wrote.
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Tupperware files for bankruptcy amid slumping sales
Tupperware and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the once-iconic food container maker said in a statement late Tuesday.
The company has suffered from dwindling sales following a surprise surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, when legions of people stuck at home tried their hands at cooking, which increased demand for Tupperware’s colorful plastic containers with flexible airtight seals.
A post-pandemic rise in costs of raw materials and shipping, along with higher wages, also hurt Tupperware’s bottom line.
Last year, it warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating in light of its poor financial position.
“Over the last several years, the Company’s financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment,” president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement announcing the bankruptcy filing.
“As a result, we explored numerous strategic options and determined this is the best path forward,” Goldman said.
The company said it would seek court approval for a sale process for the business to protect its brand and “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company.”
The Orlando, Florida-based firm said it would also seek approval to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and would continue to pay its employees and suppliers.
“We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process,” Goldman said.
The firm’s shares were trading at $0.5099 Monday, well down from $2.55 in December last year.
Tupperware said it had implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations and drive efficiencies to ignite growth following the appointment of a new management team last year.
“The Company has made significant progress and intends to continue this important transformation work.”
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Tupperware listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion.
The filing also said it had between 50,000 and 100,000 creditors.
Tupperware lost popularity with consumers in recent years and an initiative to gain distribution through big-box chain Target failed to reverse its fortunes.
The company’s roots date to 1946, when chemist Earl Tupper “had a spark of inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory shortly after the Great Depression,” according to Tupperware’s website.
“If he could design an airtight seal for plastic storage containers, like those on a paint can, he could help war-weary families save money on costly food waste.”
Over time, Tupper’s containers became popular that many people referred to any plastic food container as Tupperware. And people even threw “Tupperware parties” in their homes to sell the containers to friends and neighbors.
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JD Vance echoes Trump, blames Democrats for apparent assassination attempt
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