.@EdgarAwards As a member and 2018 Edgar winner, I am begging you to reconsider having Linda Fairstein serve as a Grand Master in next year’s awards ceremony. She is almost singlehandedly responsible for the wrongful incarceration of the Central Park Five. 1/
For which she has never apologized or recanted her insistence on their guilt for the most heinous of crimes, “guilt” based solely on evidence procured through violence and ill treatment of children in lock up. 2/
Even after all five (now) men have been exonerated by the state of NY, and other members of the NYC District Attorney’s Office have admitted prosecutorial misconduct on the part of those handling the case in their office 3/
ADAs who were led by Linda Fairstein. 4/
Just because she has a flourishing publishing career does not mean we should ignore her past—or her continued unwillingness to accept responsibility for ruining five innoncent men’s lives. I cannot support this decision. 5/
Surely, someone else is more worthy our attention, support, and this laudatory role in the 2019 @EdgarAwards. END @santanaraymond @ava
Next year’s ceremony will be the same month as the 30th anniversary of the wrongful arrest and subsequent incarceration of five innocent black boys. It is unconscionable that Linda Fairstein be onstage representing our organization. It is unacceptable. #centralparkfive
I said I was done but I’m not. As an organization navigating its own diversity pitfalls, @EdgarAwards willingness to overlook Linda Fairstein’s racist actions is very upsetting. I don’t have that luxury.
