Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is threatening to sue CNN if the network airs a documentary on campus sexual assault that accuses him of rape, according to a letter obtained by the Hollywood Reporter.
The Hunting Ground, directed by Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering, debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January and has since been screened on college campuses across the country, earning an endorsement from Barack Obama. CNN has announced plans to air a broadcast version of the film on Sunday.
“We are writing to formally caution CNN that the portions of the film The Hunting Ground pertaining to Mr Winston are false and defamatory to Mr Winston,” states the letter from Winston’s attorneys to CNN’s Jeff Zucker. “We urge CNN to reconsider the reckless decision to proceed with the broadcast of this deeply-flawed documentary in the face of the overwhelming evidence the film’s producers consciously and intentionally failed to adhere to any accepted journalistic standards.”
Winston, who led Florida State to a national championship in 2013 and was chosen by Buccaneers with No1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, was the subject of a high-profile sexual assault complaint by another student. The perception of a lackadaisical investigation by local police and school administrators received enough public criticism to prompt reforms, though no charges were filed.
The 21-year-old Alabama native filed a counterclaim against his accuser in May, one week after signing a four-year, $23.35m contract with the Bucs.
Winston’s lawyers allege actual malice, a required condition in a defamation suit against a public figure, saying they “believe that CNN has actual knowledge that the film is replete with factual errors and factual assertions that have deliberately presented in a way that is designed to mislead viewers.”
The full text of Winston’s attorneys’ letter can be read below.
