(Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Ava Duvernay’s When They See Us was given high praises as it told the story of five African-American and Hispanic boys who were wrongfully convicted and incarcerated for a 1989 sexual assault. Now the movie has provoked a defamation suit against the director and Netflix.
On Monday, (October 14th), a complaint was filed in an Illinois federal court by John E. Reid and Associates, Inc. Although Reid was not featured in the movie, the former police officer is suing because of one of the last scenes in the four-part docuseries.
The Hollywood Reporter states that this lawsuit comes from the following conversation that took place between Manhattan Assistant D.A. Nancy Ryan and a New York City Detective.
“You squeezed statements out of them after 42 hours of questioning and coercing, without food, bathroom breaks, withholding parental supervision. The Reid Technique has been universally rejected. That’s truth to you.”
The 41-page complaint goes on to say how he doesn’t like the reference that was used in the movie. Reid is considered the pioneer of that interrogation, who has been teaching his technique since 1974.
Netflix has yet to comment on this lawsuit.