Boston jury awards ex-MIT scientist David Sabatini $6 million in defamation case against accuser
A Suffolk County jury on October 16, 2026, ordered biologist Kristin Knouse to pay former Whitehead Institute scientist David Sabatini $6 million plus interest, finding she defamed him and interfered with his ability to make a living. Sabatini was removed from his Whitehead lab in 2021 after an investigation. The jury also rejected Knouse's counterclaims, including that their relationship was coercive, Fox News reported. Her lawyer said she intends to appeal.
Filing (The Boston Globe) → · Fox News