A settlement has been reached in the defamation lawsuit filed by former Manhattan prosecutor Linda Fairstein against Netflix over her portrayal in the miniseries 'When They See Us.' Fairstein claimed that the series depicted her as a 'racist, unethical villain' and attributed actions to her that were not accurate.
The case, which was set to go to trial later this month, has now been resolved. While Fairstein will not receive any financial compensation as part of the settlement, Netflix has agreed to donate $1 million to the Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to exonerating wrongly convicted individuals.
Viewers of the series will now see a disclaimer stating that certain aspects of the show are fictionalized for dramatic purposes, despite being inspired by real events and people.
Fairstein, who was the lead prosecutor in the Central Park Five case, expressed that the lawsuit was about setting the record straight and defending her reputation and that of her colleagues. She emphasized that the portrayal of her in the series was inaccurate and damaging.
The convictions of the five teenagers in the Central Park jogger case were overturned in 2002 after new evidence emerged, leading to the confession of another individual. Fairstein, who was not directly involved in the trial but oversaw the investigation, faced significant backlash following the release of 'When They See Us.'
Director Ava DuVernay and writer/producer Attica Locke, who were named as defendants in the lawsuit, maintained their stance that Fairstein played a role in the wrongful prosecution of the teenagers. DuVernay highlighted Fairstein's presence during the interrogation process and called for her to accept responsibility for her actions.
The settlement marks the end of a legal battle that has spanned several years and sheds light on the complexities of portraying real-life events in the media while balancing the rights and reputations of individuals involved.
