Who Is Linda Fairstein? Central Park Five Prosecutor Resigns From Vassar College Board Of Trustees

Despite only premiering at the end of May, “When They See Us” seems to have sparked a renewed vitriol against the handling of the Central Park Five case. The backlash has been such that some involved have been forced to resign from their positions, most notably the case’s prosecutor, Linda Fairstein.

But who is the now-former Vassar Board of Trustees Member?

Fairstein was originally born in Mount Vernon, New York, on May 5, 1947. She attended Vassar College, graduating with honors in 1969 with a degree in English Literature before attending the University of Virginia Law School. She would graduate from UV Law in 1972.

Not long after graduating, Fairstein was hired by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office as an Assistant District Attorney. She would work as an Assistant District Attorney before being promoted to head of sex crimes in 1976.

During her time as head of sex crimes, Fairstein would oversee the convictions of the Central Park Five in 1990. While it did result in 5 to 15-year convictions on all five accused teens, Fairstein’s conduct had been a point of controversy coming out of the case. The teens all accused her, other prosecutors and police of coercing false confessions out of them and appealed the decision. Their appeal fell through and the convictions stood until the confession of convicted rapist Matias Reyes, who’s DNA matched the semen from the case.

This wasn’t the only controversy Fairstein was subject to, either. She was sued by Oliver Jovanovic, who claimed he was subject to a false arrest and Fairstein denied him the right to a fair trial through aggressive practices. While the lawsuit was dismissed, Jovanovic’s conviction was appealed and later overturned in a new trial.

While serving as a New York City Prosecutor, Fairstein would also become a best-selling author with a series of crime novels about Manhattan prosecutor Alexandra Cooper.

Fairstein’s resignation from the Vassar Board of Trustees was announced on Tuesday. The resignation was the result of an online student petition that gained 13,000 signatures in two days.

“The events of the last few days have underscored how the history of racial and ethnic tensions in this country continue to deeply influence us today, and in ways that change over time,” Vassar College President Elizabeth Bradley said following Fairstein’s resignation.

Safe Horizon, a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding victims of domestic abuse in New York City, also announced Fairstein’s resignation on Tuesday.