Morgan Freeman’s lawyers have demanded CNN issue a retraction in regards to a story accusing the actor of sexual harassment that they published last week.
Eight women have accused the actor of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment. (RELATED: Morgan Freeman Accused Of Sexual Misconduct By Multiple Women. Here’s What We Know)
Freeman’s lawyer, Robert M. Schwartz, said in the letter, “At a minimum, CNN immediately needs to issue a retraction and apologize to Mr. Freeman through the same channels, and with the same level of attention, that it used to unjustly attack him on May 24.”
The letter went on to criticize three of the women who alleged inappropriate behavior on Freeman’s part, according to the Hollywood Reporter, who published the letter in full.
One of the accusers, CNN’s own Chloe Melas, “had no reasonable basis to have interpreted what Mr. Freeman said or did…as any form of harassment” according to Schwartz.
Further, Schwartz states that the second person CNN identified as an accuser, Tyra Martin, “has gone on record twice since CNN published the article to state that CNN misrepresented what she said to CNN and that Mr. Freeman did not harass her.”
The third person that the letter points out as having been misrepresented is Lori McCreary, who allegedly told CNN that she was not harassed, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
A CNN spokesperson responded to Schwartz’ letter, saying that, “The unfounded accusations made by Mr. Freeman’s lawyer are disappointing and are difficult to reconcile with Mr. Freeman’s own public statements in the aftermath of the story. CNN stands by its reporting and will respond forcefully to any attempt by Mr. Freeman or his representatives to intimidate us from covering this important public issue.”
The actor has allegedly issued an apology, saying to ET that, “Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy.”
Freeman had previously issued two statements denying the allegations.
“I am devastated that 80 years of my life is at risk of being undermined, in the blink of an eye, by Thursday’s media reports. All victims of assault and harassment deserve to be heard. And we need to listen to them. But it is not right to equate horrific incidents of sexual assault with misplaced compliments or humor.”