MIT scientist wins $6M defamation suit
The gist
A Suffolk County jury found biologist David Sabatini proved former colleague Kristin Knouse defamed him, awarding $6 million.
The verdict follows the misconduct findings that ended his lab career in 2021.
How it unfolded
- 2016During a discussion about whether Sabatini would endorse Knouse's application for a fellowship at Whitehead, he expressed concern she took herself too seriously and asked whether she ever had "fun" or had sex.
- 2018Sabatini and Knouse had sex during a conference in Washington, D.C.; he characterized the encounter as consensual, while she said she resisted his advances and felt coerced.
- 2018According to accounts given to investigators, a relationship began and continued for approximately a year and a half.