David Sabatini wins $6M defamation verdict against former colleague

A Suffolk County jury has awarded $6 million in damages to David Sabatini, a former biology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and researcher at the Whitehead Institute. The verdict follows a defamation lawsuit filed by Sabatini against his former colleague, Dr. Kristin Knouse.

In 2021, Sabatini was forced to resign from the Whitehead Institute following an internal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and the maintenance of a sexualized laboratory environment. Dr. Knouse had alleged that their relationship, which began in 2018, was coercive and involved an abuse of power.

The jury, consisting of seven women and six men, rejected Knouse’s counterclaims of sexual harassment and retaliation. Instead, they found that Knouse had defamed Sabatini and interfered with his ability to earn a living within the scientific community. Knouse’s legal team has indicated intentions to appeal the decision.