Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is reportedly prepared to sue CNN if they debut "The Hunting Ground," a documentary about college campus rape that is scheduled to air this Sunday, according to a letter obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
"We are writing to formally caution CNN that the portions of the file 'The Hunting Ground' pertaining to Mr. Winston are false and defamatory to Mr. Winston," stated the letter addressed to CNN's Jeff Zucker. "We urge CNN to reconsider this 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."
Erica Kinsman accused Winston of rape during his Heisman Trophy season at Florida State. After the Tallahassee Police Department and the university conducted an investigation, Winston was found clear of all charges in the case. Winston's attorney, John Boudet, alleges that the film "manipulates, misstates or simply omits facts to present a false narrative," according to Eriq Garner of The Hollywood Reporter.
Florida State has also ask CNN not to air the documentary and have produced a detailed critique of how the documentary alleges instances of inaccuracy and unfairness that do not cohere with standard journalistic practices, according to Tina Daunt of The Hollywood Reporter.
"We are confident that both the film and our extensive associated coverage give this important issue the full and fair treatment it deserves," said a spokeswoman of the network. CNN is "proud to proved a platform for a film that has undeniably played a significant role in advancing the national conversation about sexual assault on college campuses."
Winston was the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and has stayed out of the spotlight since taking over as the franchise quarterback. The Buccaneers are currently 4-5 on the season, and Winston has played well in his rookie season. It doesn't look like CNN will back down from airing this documentary, and many Buccaneer fans are likely worried that this lawsuit will serve as a distraction for Tampa Bay quarterback. It will be interesting to see what CNN does regarding this documentary, and what Winston and his legal team will do if the documentary is aired.
