Full Breakdown
Amy Griffin Files Defamation Suit Claiming False Story-Theft Allegations
6/18/2026, 9:27:21 PM
Defamation Suit Over Alleged Story Theft
On Monday, memoirist Amy Griffin filed a Nevada federal defamation suit against former classmate Jane Doe, alleging the woman’s statements in a New York Times profile and a California lawsuit—claiming Griffin stole the woman’s sexual-abuse story for her 2025 bestseller *The Tell*—are entirely false. Griffin seeks a judicial declaration of falsity and monetary damages.
Background of *The Tell*
*The Tell*, an Oprah’s Book Club pick, recounts Griffin’s childhood abuse by a teacher in Amarillo, Texas, and her MDMA-assisted memory recovery. Six months after publication, the New York Times ran a story featuring a classmate who said Griffin’s recollections matched her own. That classmate later sued in California, labeling Griffin a “fraud and a thief” who “stole the rape of another woman and built a bestseller on it.”
Official Statements & Responses
Griffin’s lawyer Tom Clare says the accuser had ample chance to correct the record and that the suit seeks to expose false claims, accusing the Times of knowingly amplifying allegations. New York Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades counters that the lawsuit mischaracterizes the paper’s reporting, noting fact-checking and consultation with Griffin’s legal team. Rhoades says the article examined the memoir’s impact and MDMA-recovered memories, not any alleged story theft.
Criticism & Opposition
Jane Doe told the Associated Press that reading *The Tell* left her “violated all over again” and accused Griffin of using “immense wealth and influence to try and silence” her. She argues the memoir appropriates her personal abuse narrative and frames the lawsuit as an effort to suppress her voice.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Mrs. Griffin stole the rape of another woman and built a bestseller on it.” — Jane Doe, as cited in the lawsuit
- “Amy Griffin’s accuser has had every opportunity to set the record straight,” — Tom Clare, attorney for Griffin
- “violated all over again after reading about my own experiences in Amy’s book.” — Jane Doe, email to AP
- “Our story was about a publishing phenomenon, the reliability of memories recovered while under the influence of MDMA and the impact of a bestselling memoir on the author’s hometown,” — Danielle Rhoades, New York Times spokesperson
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Griffin’s filings claim she has not spoken to Jane Doe in more than 35 years, was never in the same church youth group, and was not in Palm Springs in 2019 when the alleged coffee-shop meeting occurred. The plaintiff, however, describes a meeting with “Claudia” in a Palm Springs café—a detail absent from the Times article. The newspaper also denies any assertion that Griffin misappropriated the woman’s story or that its reporting lacked vetting.
What’s Next
The Nevada court will review a motion to dismiss the California suit and decide whether the defamation claim proceeds to trial. Both sides have signaled readiness for further litigation, while the Times maintains its editorial stance pending resolution.
