Central Park Five: Prosecutor refused to work on When They See Us Netflix documentary

Jane Rosenthal reportedly refused to consult on the Ava Duvernay project because the show's team had spoken to the five accused men

The prosecutor for the infamous Central Park Five case has refused to work on Ava Duvernay‘s When They See Us documentary drama, which recounts the story of the wrongful trial of five young men.

Linda Fairstein – who is played by Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman – reportedly would not consult on the Netflix show, due to the fact that the production team had also chosen to speak to the five men who were accused of rape as part of the case, according to producer Jane Rosenthal.

At a panel about the show in Burbank, California Rosenthal reportedly spoke of Fairstein’s decision, stating that “her point of view was clearly that she didn’t want us talking to the five men if we were talking to her”.

Ava Duvernay, who was also at the event, added to this admission: “Are we saying that, Jane? I guess we are. That’s the tea that just got spilled.”

When They See Us closely follows the story of the five men – Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam and Kharey Wise – as well as their families, as they face trial for the rape of a female Manhattan jogger in 1989.

Fairstein – now also a prevalent crime author – was dropped by her publisher last week as a result of the controversy surrounding the show and its story. She has also resigned as a trustee member of the Vasser College board.