Ex-MIT professor wins $6M after sex claims wrecked career, accuser joked about ‘#hetoo’

Fox News · Fox News · 2026-11-06 12:00 UTC

David Sabatini's $6 million defamation win over Kristin Knouse now faces cross-appeals as both sides prepare to battle in Massachusetts courts.

A Massachusetts jury awarded former MIT biologist Dr. David Sabatini a $6 million defamation victory over sexual misconduct claims, setting the stage for cross-appeals as both legal teams prepare to take the case to a higher court.

Dr. Kristin Knouse, the former colleague whose sexual misconduct allegations dismantled Sabatini's American academic career, is challenging the October verdict. Her decision triggered a battle over legal consequences surrounding workplace misconduct claims and the authority of campus tribunals.

Knouse’s attorney, Ellen Zucker, believes that the $6 million verdict could potentially stop female scientists from reporting misconduct, claiming the jury's decision reflects a society that refuses to believe women who challenge powerful men.

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