Netflix has reached a resolution in a defamation lawsuit filed by Linda Fairstein, a renowned author and former Manhattan prosecutor. 

Netflix Settles Lawsuit Over Fairstein's Portrayal in 'When They See Us'

The lawsuit was related to her portrayal in a crime drama from 2019 that focused on the Central Park Five case. Netflix's legal team announced this development on Tuesday (June 4).

A trial regarding Fairstein's portrayal in the series, "When They See Us," was scheduled to commence next week in Manhattan federal court.

In her September 2020 lawsuit, Fairstein asserted that the four-part series depicting the conviction of five teens for the assault of a white jogger included scenes that she believed were defamatory. 

A statement released by Fairstein, Netflix, director Ava DuVernay, and writer Attica Locke announced that Netflix will be making a generous donation of $1 million to the Innocence Project as part of the settlement, Reuters reported.

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Lawsuit Over Fairstein's Portrayal in Netflix Series Dismissed

A filing in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday indicates that the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, indicating that Fairstein is prohibited from bringing these claims against Netflix, DuVernay, as well as Locke again.

According to Daily Beast, Fairstein emphasized that the case was not focused on winning or seeking financial restitution, but rather on protecting her reputation and that of her colleagues. 

It was important to clarify that the malicious portrayal created by the defendants and depicted on screen did not accurately represent me.

The series features Fairstein, portrayed by Felicity Huffman, and tells the story of the tragic case of Trisha Meili, a 28-year-old woman who was assaulted while jogging in Manhattan's Central Park. 

The lawsuit claimed that Fairstein is portrayed as someone who unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ignored evidence indicating that the five teenage boys, who were all Black or Hispanic and later known as the Central Park Five, were not responsible for the assault on Meili.

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