Jameis Winston says he's prepared to sue if the cable news network goes ahead and airs the documentary accusing him of rape. 
 
 Two days before CNN is set to debut The Hunting Ground, an attorney for former Florida State University and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is warning the cable news network that its documentary about college campus rapes is defamatory. 
 
 "We are writing to formally caution CNN that the portions of the film 'The Hunting Ground' pertaining to Mr. Winston are false and defamatory to Mr. Winston," states a letter to CNN's Jeff Zucker, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. "We urge CNN to reconsider the 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." 
 
 Winston was accused of rape by Erica Kinsman during the football player's Heisman Trophy season. The Tallahasee Police Department and FSU conducted a much-criticized investigation and took no action against Winston, who was selected first overall in the NFL draft this past May and in the midst of his rookie season. 
 
 As Kinsman and Winston duel with each other in court — she's suing him for sexual battery, he's brought counterclaims for tarnishing his image — The Hunting Ground has lurked in the background after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. 
 
 Directed by Kirby Dirk and produced by Amy Ziering, Hunting Ground spotlights Kinsman coming forward to speak publicly for the first time about what Winston allegedly did to her, as well as the ensuing investigations. At Sundance, the film was warmly received, but it's since been attacked as unfair in some circles. 
 
 Winston's letter from attorney John Boudet alleges that the film "manipulates, misstates or simply omits facts to present a false narrative," that the filmmakers omitted exculpatory evidence like toxicology tests, medical examinations and eyewitness testimony, and also that Amy Herdy, one of the film's producers, admitted in one email that the film is "in the corner of advocacy for victims" with "no need to get the perpetrator's side." 
 
 FSU has voiced its own complaints and asked CNN not to air the film, but Winston goes much further. 
 
 "CNN may have persuaded itself that Mr. Winston's status as a public figure insulates your company from a libel judgment," states the letter. "If CNN decides to proceed with this broadcast, we will perhaps have the opportunity to test that legal proposition in a court of law." 
 
 On Saturday morning, filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering issued the following statement to THR: "We fully stand behind Erica Kinsman’s account, and the accounts of all the subjects in our film. When documentaries bring to light uncomfortable truths about powerful people and institutions, it's not unusual for them to wage aggressive campaigns to silence their critics. That's what we're seeing now. We invite viewers to watch the documentary and draw their own conclusions." 
 
 The full letter is below. 
 
 We've reached out to CNN for comment. 
 
 Nov. 21, 11:16 a.m.: Updated with statement from filmmakers. ||||| CNN Airs Documentary On Sexual Assault, Despite Legal Threats 
 
 CNN aired The Hunting Ground — a controversial documentary about campus sexual assaults — despite the threat of legal action. 
 
 A lawyer for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston threatened to sue CNN if it aired the film on Sunday night. It ran as scheduled. 
 
 In the film, Erica Kinsman accuses Winston of committing sexual assault during his time on the football team at Florida State University, a claim his lawyer says is defamatory. 
 
 In a letter to CNN first obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, lawyer John Boudet says the film "manipulates, misstates or simply omits facts to present a false narrative": 
 
 "We urge CNN to reconsider the 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." 
 
 The documentary, which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, argues women are at serious risk of sexual assault on college campuses and many college administrators have repeatedly tried to sweep the problem under the rug to avoid public relations problems. 
 
 Kinsman has filed a lawsuit against Winston, accusing him of forcible rape in 2012. He was not charged by police in Florida and is now starting for the Buccaneers. 
 
 Kinsman's lawyer, John Clune, issued a statement over the weekend saying Winston had launched a "PR battle": 
 
 "His latest attack is an attempt to revive his lawyers' media themes and, as expected, shows no understanding of rape trauma and misrepresents the actual evidence. More importantly, Mr. Winston should get used to the rape allegations against him because film or no film, they aren't going away." 
 
 CNN made clear it would go ahead with plans to air the documentary. 
 
 "CNN is proud to provide a platform for a film that has undeniably played a significant role in advancing the national conversation about sexual assault on college campuses," a network spokeswoman told The New York Times. "We are confident that both the film and our extensive associated coverage give this important issue the full and fair treatment it deserves." 
 
 The Hunting Ground has also been criticized for its depiction of an incident at Harvard Law School, in which a student was accused of assaulting two women. 
 
 A letter signed by 19 Harvard Law School faculty members said the film "provides a seriously false picture both of the general sexual assault phenomenon at universities and of our student," noting a grand jury declined to indict him on the most serious sexual assault charges brought against him. 
 
 The documentary makers say they stand behind the case as they presented it. ||||| On their website, Mr. Dick and Ms. Ziering dismiss critics of the film, saying, “The truth is on our side.” In a statement on Sunday afternoon, they said: “We were not surprised by the lengths Mr. Winston and his lawyer were willing to go to stop the public from seeing this film. When documentaries bring to light uncomfortable truths about powerful people and institutions, it’s not unusual for them to wage aggressive campaigns to silence their critics. We fully stand behind Erica Kinsman and all of the survivors who bravely spoke out in our film.” Ms. Kinsman is Mr. Winston’s accuser. 
 
 Mr. Winston’s threat of legal action came a week after 19 Harvard professors attacked “The Hunting Ground,” saying it distorted the university’s handling of a sexual assault claim. The accusation eventually resulted in a conviction for misdemeanor nonsexual assault against a student, Brandon Winston, who was not named in the film, but was named in the professors’ letter. Late last week, Brandon Winston’s defense team and supporters unveiled an elaborate website that explains their view of his actions and takes “The Hunting Ground” to task for what it calls “critical omissions and distortions.” 
 
 Mr. Dick and Ms. Ziering last week challenged the Harvard professors’ action in a text message to The New York Times. It said, in part: “Everything in ‘The Hunting Ground’ is accurate and we fully stand behind our Harvard Law survivor’s account of her assault, as well as the accounts of all the subjects in our film.” 
 
 Escalating denunciation of “The Hunting Ground” comes as the movie is being considered by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a so-called short list of 15 documentary feature Oscar contenders, which will be released next month. The film’s critics have also had an eye on the large viewership CNN may bring to a film that found only a tiny audience in theaters when released in February by the Weinstein Company’s digitally oriented Radius-TWC unit. 
 
 As of March, for instance, another controversial documentary, “Blackfish,” about the treatment of whales in captivity, had been seen by about 27 million viewers on CNN, though it had just $2 million in ticket sales when Magnolia Pictures released it in 2013. ||||| In an effort to dismiss the crisis of campus sexual assault, some rape deniers have attacked the findings of our film and some of the victims in it. Whatever the motivation of these critics—and frankly it boggles the mind—the truth is on our side. These are the facts. 
 
 For press inquiries contact thehuntingground@kivvit.com. 
 
 Kamilah Willingham’s Story 
 
 The Assault 
 
 On January 16, 2011, third-year Harvard Law student Kamilah Willingham (KW) reported to the Harvard Office of Sexual Assault and Responses that she and her friend (AB) were sexually assaulted during the early morning hours of January 15, 2011 by fellow Harvard Law student Brandon Winston (BW). On January 18, 2011, Willingham filed a report regarding the assault allegations with Cambridge Police. 
 
 The Harvard Law Investigation and Adjudication 
 
 On April 18, 2011, Willingham filed a complaint with the Administrative Board of Harvard Law School, alleging that Winston violated the Law School’s policy and guidelines related to sexual harassment. The Board appointed an independent Fact Finder, an attorney, to investigate her claim. 
 
 On August 10, 2011, the Fact Finder released a report that found that Winston “was not credible” in regard to his version of the sexual contact with both Willingham and her friend, and that Willingham did not give affirmative consent to Winston to engage in sexual conduct with him. From the Fact Finder’s Report: 
 
 “His [Winston’s] denial was not credible.” 
 
 “BW’s actions in undressing AB, touching her body, rubbing her crotch, and inserting his finger in AB’s vagina, when she was incapacitated by alcohol intoxication, was abusive and unreasonably invasive.” 
 
 “BW’s explanation that he believed AB welcomed the sexual conduct is not reasonable or credible.” 
 
 “The Fact Finder finds the evidence compelling, and finds that BW could not reasonably have believed that his sexual conduct toward AB at KW’s apartment was welcome.” 
 
 “BW changed his account at least two times.” 
 
 “BW did not appear credible when providing the explanations, and they do not offer a reasonable explanation for his statement that he put ‘a finger briefly in the v at most’ or for his later retraction.” 
 
 On September 19, 2011, the Harvard Law Administrative Board conducted a hearing on Willingham’s complaint against Winston. After reviewing all of the evidence, the Board found the following: 
 
 “The student [Winston] had initiated sexual conduct with the complainant while she was asleep or unconscious, and not capable of consenting.” 
 
 “He [Winston] had initiated sexual contact with the friend while she was incapable of consenting.” 
 
 “The student’s [Winston’s] conduct toward the complainant was unwelcome and abusive or invasive, and that it had the effect of unreasonably interfering with her work or academic performance and/or created an intimidating, demeaning, degrading, hostile or otherwise seriously offensive working or educational environment at Harvard Law School.” 
 
 As a result, on September 21, 2011, the Board imposed a sanction of dismissal on Winston. 
 
 The Appeal 
 
 Harvard Law initiated a required appeal of Winston’s dismissal in the Spring of 2012. The flawed appeal process violated a number of Title IX guidelines, and Harvard was later forced to change its policies in a settlement with the Department of Education. As a part of the appeal process, Harvard Law faculty voted to overturn the findings of both the Independent Fact Finder and the Administrative Board and reinstated Willingham’s assailant. The appeal process included the following actions: 
 
 Harvard Law initiated a Review Hearing without informing Willingham or including her in the process, a direct violation of Title IX guidelines. 
 
 The Hearing Officer for the appeal process interviewed the accused (with his lawyer present), but did not interview Willingham, violating Title IX guidelines. 
 
 The Hearing Officer was one of the accused’s professors. When Willingham later asked the Harvard Law dean in an email about the professional and personal relationship of the accused and the Hearing Officer, the dean refused to disclose that relationship. 
 
 The Review Hearing upheld the Administrative Board’s sanction of dismissal. 
 
 Despite the fact that the Review Hearing only included Winston’s testimony, an assembly of Harvard Law faculty full professors proceeded with their review and voted to overturn the findings and decisions of the Independent Fact Finder, the Administrative Board, and the Hearing Officer. This process was in direct violation of Title IX guidelines. 
 
 Willingham was not notified of the appeal decision until months after the accused was notified (another violation of Title IX guidelines) and after the accused had returned to Harvard law where Willingham was still enrolled. 
 
 Harvard Law refused to inform Willingham of who was present at the Harvard Law faculty vote, what the vote count was, or what the specific reason was for overturning the finding. 
 
 The dean of Harvard Law refused to give Willingham a written or digital copy of the decision to overturn the findings. 
 
 The Department of Education Investigates 
 
 In the 2014 settlement agreement of the Title IX complaint between the Department of Education (DOE) and Harvard Law School, Harvard Law was required to change its appeal process. The DOE chose to highlight only one case (without identifying names) in their press release about why Harvard had to change its appeal process. Every indication is that the case was Kamilah Willingham’s. 
 
 The Criminal Process 
 
 In September 2012, prosecutors from the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office presented six possible charges to a Middlesex Superior Court grand jury. The grand jury indicted Winston on two felony counts of indecent assault and battery (the equivalent of felony sexual assault) against Willingham’s friend. In March 2015, a jury convicted Winston for non-sexual assault. 
 
 Statistics 
 
 1 in 5 women are sexually assaulted while in college 
 
 A multitude of national and individual school studies over the past fifteen years have come to the universal conclusion that approximately 20% of female students will be sexually assaulted during their time at college. 
 
 The large, national The Washington Post-Kaiser Poll (2015) found that 20% of young women who attended college during the past four years were sexually assaulted. 
 
 A study commissioned by the Association of American Universities (2015) surveyed 150,000 students at 27 colleges and universities across the country and found that 27.2% of female college seniors reported they had experienced some kind of unwanted sexual contact since entering college. 
 
 England (2015) : A national survey of more than 20,000 students from 21 four-year colleges found that 25% of college women were sexually assaulted. 
 
 Kilpatrick (2007) A national sample representing women currently attending U.S. colleges and universities found that 11.5% have been raped. 
 
 Fisher (2000): A national sample of 4,446 women found that 20-25% were sexually assaulted. 
 
 Outreach to Universities 
 
 The filmmakers reached out to the presidents of every college and university mentioned in the film. Two university presidents were interviewed for the film, and thirty-five college or university presidents declined to speak or did not respond. 
 
 Erica Kinsman’s Story 
 
 The Assault 
 
 Early in the morning of December 7, 2012, Florida State University student Erica Kinsman reported to the police that she was raped several hours earlier by an unknown man after drinking a Potbelly’s, a popular local bar. 
 
 Investigative Timeline 
 
 A thorough examination of the police investigation of Kinsman’s rape by The New York Times found that “there was virtually no investigation at all, either by the police or the university” into the events that occurred on the night of December 7th, 2012. According to the Times, investigators showed little interest in finding out what happened on the night of Erica Kinsman’s rape. They “delayed talking to witnesses, interviewing Jameis Winston (the accused) and collecting his DNA.” The following timeline details how long it took police to gather key evidence and FSU’s failure to investigate Kinsman’s report of sexual assault. 
 
 12/7/12 – Erica Kinsman, a Florida State University student, reported to the Florida State Police and the Tallahassee Police Department that she was raped several hours earlier by an unknown man after drinking at Potbelly’s, a popular local bar. Police took Kinsman to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital where a rape kit was administered and bruises were noted in Kinsman’s medical record. The police didn’t act on information provided by Kinsman, and failed to obtain and review the video camera footage at Potbelly’s, locate the cab driver who drove them from the bar, or interview critical witnesses, all of which would have aided investigators in identifying Kinsman’s assailant. 
 
 1/10/13 – The police failed to identify Winston until 34 days after Kinsman’s initial report, learning his identity only after Kinsman recognized him in class and informed the police. Police waited nearly two weeks to contact Winston after Kinsman identified him as her assailant. 
 
 1/22/13 – FSU Head Football Coach Jimbo Fisher and Senior Associate Athletics Director Monk Bonasorte learned that Winston had been accused of rape. Both were obligated by FSU policy and the U.S. Department of Education to report this to FSU’s Title IX Coordinator so that they could begin an investigation, but did not. 
 
 1/23/13 – The Tallahassee police contacted the accused after waiting nearly two weeks. Winston did not show up for the requested interview. Instead, his attorney appeared at the Tallahassee police station on his behalf. 
 
 2/11/13 – The Tallahassee police closed the case 66 days after Kinsman reported her rape, without interviewing Winston and crucial witnesses (one of whom videotaped part of the sexual encounter) or getting DNA or phone records from Winston. The investigative officer, Detective Angulo, had worked for the Seminole Boosters, the fundraising arm for FSU athletics. The officer’s report states that he suspended the investigation because the accuser was uncooperative, which she denies. 
 
 10/25/13 – Kinsman notified her victims advocate that she wanted to participate in FSU code of conduct proceedings for a Title IX investigation of her case. 
 
 11/12/13 – FSU Dean of Students Jeanine Ward-Roof and FSU Police Chief Perry learned that a second FSU student had accused Winston of sexual assault. Ward-Roof emailed FSU Policy Chief Perry that there would be no disciplinary proceedings against Winston for either assault, a direct violation of school policy and U.S. Department of Education guidelines. 
 
 11/13/13 – The State’s Attorney Office of the 2nd Judicial Circuit began an investigation into Kinsman’s assault. 
 
 11/14/13 – Investigators interviewed key witnesses and obtained DNA samples from the accused 342 days after the initial complaint was reported. For the first time, investigators interviewed two teammates of Winston’s who claimed to have witnessed sex between Winston and Kinsman. Investigators also obtained Winston’s DNA, which matched DNA found on Kinsman’s clothing. 
 
 12/5/13 – The State’s Attorney Office announced they were not charging Winston. The Tallahassee police investigation is closed. 
 
 1/23/14 – More than one year after FSU officials were made aware that Winston was accused of rape, FSU finally meets with him regarding the Kinsman case. him. Winston refuses to answer any questions. FSU does not meet with Kinsman. 
 
 2/10/14 – FSU closes the case (even though they still had not interviewed Kinsman) because Winston refused to speak with them. 
 
 12/5/14 – Nearly two years after the report of rape, FSU held a hearing regarding Kinsman’s case, even though the Department of Education strongly recommends that any accusation of sexual assault be investigated and resolved within 60 days. 
 
 During the hearing, Kinsman answered all 156 questions asked of her. Winston refused to answer all of the questions asked of him except three. This was the exchange: 
 
 Justice Harding: And I would like to know in what manner, verbally or physically, that she gave consent. And I ask that with the understanding that you have previously given. 
 
 Winston: Both, your honor, verbally and physically. 
 
 Justice Harding: And what did she say and what did she do? 
 
 Winston: Moaning is mostly physically. Well, moaning is physically. And verbally at that time, Your Honor. 
 
 Justice Harding: Well, that was during the sexual encounter? 
 
 Winston: Yes, Your honor. 
 
 Justice Harding: Okay. All right. Thank you.
– CNN aired a documentary about campus rape Sunday night—and this one came with the threat of a lawsuit ahead of time. The network ran The Hunting Ground, a documentary first seen at the Sundance Film Festival, reports NPR. The most controversial part includes an interview with Erica Kinsman, who accuses football star Jameis Winston of sexually assaulting her while at Florida State. Winston, a Heisman winner who is now a quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, never faced criminal rape charges, and the school cleared him of misconduct, notes the New York Times. Kinsman is suing Winston, however, and Winston's lawyers now may do the same to CNN, reports the Hollywood Reporter. "We are writing to formally caution CNN that the portions of the film 'The Hunting Ground' pertaining to Mr. Winston are false and defamatory to Mr. Winston," says a letter to CNN obtained by the site ahead of Sunday's airing. But CNN shot back in a statement that it is "proud to provide a platform for a film that has undeniably played a significant role in advancing the national conversation about sexual assault on college campuses." Winston's legal team says the film “manipulates, misstates or simply omits facts to present a false narrative," but filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering say "the truth is on our side."