New York City – Former Manhattan prosecutor Linda Fairstein has settled her defamation case against Netflix over her portrayal in the 2019 miniseries “When They See Us.” The lawsuit was filed in March 2020, less than a year after the series directed by Ava DuVernay premiered on the streaming platform. The settlement was announced jointly by Fairstein and Netflix, with the streaming service agreeing to donate $1 million to the Innocence Project as part of the resolution. Fairstein will not receive any money from the settlement.
The series “When They See Us” depicts the true story of five Black teenagers wrongly convicted for the 1989 rape and beating of a white jogger in Central Park. After DNA evidence led to the overturning of their convictions, the city settled with the men for $41 million. Fairstein, who was in charge of the Manhattan District Attorney’s sex crimes unit during the case, felt she was unfairly portrayed in the series.
In a statement regarding the settlement, Fairstein expressed the challenges of the nearly five-year-long legal battle and her readiness to present her case before a jury. Her attorney, Andrew Miltenberg, described the case as precedent-setting, as it was the first defamation lawsuit related to a dramatic streaming series to reach the brink of trial.
Following her portrayal in the series, Fairstein faced backlash leading to her being dropped by her publisher and resigning from her position on Vassar College’s board of trustees and from other organizations. The joint settlement between Fairstein and Netflix marks the conclusion of the legal dispute, avoiding a trial that was set to take place later in the month.
Overall, the resolution of Fairstein’s defamation case against Netflix signals a point of closure after years of legal battles and public scrutiny. The donation to the Innocence Project serves as a positive outcome amid the controversy surrounding the series and its depiction of real-life events. With this settlement, both parties can move forward, bringing an end to a chapter of conflict and contention.