Author Amy Griffin Faces Lawsuit Over Sexual Assault Memoir Claims
Bestselling author Amy Griffin, a 49-year-old venture capitalist, is being sued by a former classmate who alleges that the sexual assaults detailed in Griffin's memoir The Tell actually occurred to her, not Griffin. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe in legal documents filed in California state court, accuses Griffin of negligence, invasion of privacy, and infliction of emotional distress.
Details of the Allegations and Legal Dispute
Griffin's memoir, published in March of last year and promoted by Oprah Winfrey's book club, recounts how she used MDMA therapy to recover memories of being raped multiple times from age 12 by a middle school teacher in Amarillo, Texas. However, Doe's lawsuit, first reported by The New York Times, claims that two specific incidents in the book mirror assaults she experienced.
One incident involves a rape at a middle school dance. Griffin wrote that she was assaulted by a teacher pseudonymously called Mr. Mason while wearing a borrowed dress. Doe alleges she was the one who borrowed the dress from Griffin and was attacked at the dance by a different teacher, returning the dress with a stain from the assault.
Another assault described in The Tell involves Griffin being tied with a bandanna. Doe claims she was the victim in that encounter, with the bandanna stuffed in her mouth and the teacher placing a boot on her back during the attack.
Background and Meetings Between the Parties
According to the lawsuit, Doe met with Griffin at a California coffee shop in 2019 at Griffin's request, where they discussed their upbringing in Amarillo. Griffin, now a billionaire married to hedge fund founder John Griffin, published her book about three years later.
Doe alleges that after the meeting, a producer contacted her to use her "life story" for a film or TV show. When she shared details of her middle school sexual attacks and asked for a contract, communication ceased. Doe believes this information was later incorporated into Griffin's memoir.
Responses and Controversies Surrounding the Memoir
Griffin's attorney, Thomas A. Clare, called the lawsuit "absurd" and "meritless," criticizing The New York Times for what he described as a "false narrative." He stated, "We look forward to exposing these meritless claims in court, as well as the deeply flawed New York Times reporting that is at the center of it."
The Tell has faced scrutiny, with reports indicating it was reviewed by lawyers but not fact-checked by publisher Penguin Random House. There is no suggestion Griffin was dishonest about her memories. In a previous report, another anonymous classmate said her childhood abuse was "eerily similar" to Griffin's account, though involving a different teacher.
Oprah Winfrey praised the book, saying, "I was just floored when I read Amy's story... What she discovered about herself, about her past, made me recognize how powerful the desire to forget is and also how powerful the desire to remember is." The Daily Mail has reached out to Doe's attorney and Penguin Random House for comment.
