Lederer, the prosecutor of the so-called Central Park Five whom Vera Farmiga played on the Netflix limited series, was dropped today as a part-time lecturer at Columbia Law School after students demanded the university cut ties with her. “The miniseries has reignited a painful—and vital—national conversation about race, identity, and criminal justice,” law school dean Gillian Lester said in a statement. “I am deeply committed to fostering a learning environment that furthers this important and ongoing dialogue, one that draws upon the lived experiences of all members of our community and actively confronts the most difficult issues of our time.” As The Daily Beast notes, more than 10,000 people had also signed a petition demanding Columbia cut ties with former prosecutor Linda Fairstein, but her fate was unclear. ALSO: Netflix says When They See Us has been its No. 1 show in the U.S. every day since its May 31 premiere.
TOPICS: When They See Us, Netflix, Ava DuVernay, Elizabeth Lederer, Linda Fairstein