In 2021, former CNN producer John Griffin was fired after being charged with coercing a minor into sexual acts. An accusation stemming from a 2020 encounter where Griffin invited a mother and nine-year-old daughter “for the purposes of sexual training,” the legal process involving this matter has now concluded. As a result, the former New Day producer has now been handed a prison sentence after accepting a plea deal.
Deadline reported the official sentencing, which saw the ex-CNN employee sentenced with jail time exceeding 19 years, along with 15 years of supervised release. What’s more, Griffin is also expected to pay restitution to his victims, as this case that’s been ongoing since 2021 has now been closed.
The incident at the heart of these proceedings happened in 2020, when John Griffin flew out Heather Carriker and her daughter from Nevada to his Vermont home. There, he coerced Carriker's daughter into performing sexual acts. Ms. Carriker is currently charged with child abuse and sexual assault charges, per additional reporting from The New York Post.
That report also elaborated on the ex-news producer's plea deal, which saw him pleading guilty to "interstate commerce for the enticement of a minor," and two other counts against him for "enticement of a minor" being dropped as a result. It was also noted that as his sentencing was handed down, the unnamed victim in this case said that she would "never trust anyone again" after the acts she was coerced into performing.
This is just the latest controversy that CNN has found itself connected to. Recently, anchor Don Lemon was fired, due to allegations of workplace misconduct on Lemon's part. This issue, of course, isn’t anywhere near as severe as the case of John Griffin, seeing as Lemon's actions were more in the realm of ageist comments towards his co-workers. Though it is another story that’s seen the established cable news brand making headlines yet again. That is especially true when whispers of Lemon’s potential rehiring after CNN’s CEO shake up have been growing louder.
More along the wavelength of this crime is the report from a 2020 lawsuit that alleged several Fox News hosts of sexual misconduct. In either case, the magnifying glass has been firmly trained on huge media corporations when infractions of all sorts have been brought to light. It's unfortunate that such events continue to be reported, though it would now appear that the victims are now be better suited to seek justice through their side of the story.
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, stories of this nature have come from all corners of culture, including the newsrooms of the nation. The cold, hard truth of this story in particular is that justice has been served, and a punishment has now been enforced. As of this writing, no further statements have been provided by any of the camps involved, and time will tell if said updates might be presented.
