Linda Napolitano, a mother of two from New York City who alleges she was abducted by extraterrestrials, has filed a lawsuit against Netflix for depicting her as dishonest in their upcoming docuseries, entitled The Manhattan Alien Abduction.
At 77 years old, Napolitano first recounted her purported abduction under the alias Linda Cortile, claiming that on November 30, 1989, she was taken from her 12th-floor apartment by three gray aliens. She described witnessing a blue beam of light lifting her into a reddish-orange spacecraft before heading towards Brooklyn Bridge.
Her story is featured in the upcoming Netflix series, set to premiere on October 30. According to legal documents acquired by The Independent, Napolitano is alleging that the platform presents her narrative as one marked by skepticism, effectively labeling her as a liar.
The lawsuit was filed on Monday, October 28, in the New York State Supreme Court, claiming that Netflix misrepresents her and appropriates the work of ufologist Budd Hopkins, who was the first to tell Napolitano’s story in his 1997 book. The official Netflix description of the docuseries states:
“This twisting docuseries follows one woman’s claim to have been abducted by aliens in 1989 – and the ufologist’s wife who refused to believe her.”
Linda Napolitano’s attorney, Robert Young, conveyed to The Independent that his client feels profoundly misled, asserting that she would not have consented to be part of the docuseries had she known about its direction. The lawsuit also alleges that Budd Hopkins’ wife defamed Napolitano during her onscreen appearances.
Napolitano is requesting that the court impose a restraining order against Netflix, preventing the release of the docuseries or any public commentary regarding the issue. However, as of this writing, the miniseries is available for streaming on Netflix.
Linda Napolitano Sues Netflix Over Allegations of Deception in The Manhattan Alien Abduction
The narrative of Linda Napolitano’s alleged abduction gained prominence when the late UFO investigator Budd Hopkins featured her story in his book Witnessed: The True Story of the Brooklyn Bridge Abduction in 1997.
Hopkins stated he believed Napolitano’s account to be credible, especially after receiving a letter from two bodyguards who claimed to have witnessed her “floating through the sky”towards an alien craft. Additionally, over twenty other witnesses corroborated seeing the events unfold.
On October 28, Linda Napolitano and the estate of Budd Hopkins initiated legal action against Netflix, Top Hat Productions, and the estate of Hopkins’ late ex-wife, Carol Rainey. The docuseries features Rainey along with several participants commenting on the purported occurrence.
Rainey publicly declared that Linda Napolitano fabricated her abduction story. Furthermore, an unnamed participant in the trailer suggested that Napolitano was “pulling the wool over Budd’s eyes”during his book writing. In 2011, Rainey published an article critiquing the feasibility of alien abductions and disputing Hopkins’ research methods.
According to The Independent, psychiatrists investigating such phenomena assert that various mental health disorders can lead individuals to believe they have been abducted by aliens. Conditions like Fantasy Prone Personality disorder, or the potential for survivors of sexual assault to create false memories as coping mechanisms, may contribute to these beliefs.
Napolitano’s legal claims assert that Netflix provided Rainey with a significant platform within the documentary, describing her as an “embittered, alcoholic ex-wife hellbent on revenge against her husband,”while accusing Netflix of casting Rainey as an “expert”skeptic.
The suit contends that the Netflix docuseries reflects Carol Rainey’s “last dying act of retribution” against her ex-husband rather than striving to present the factual information previously documented in Witnessed. Young expressed his confidence in the legal process, stating:
“Litigation is a long war, many battles, and I have every confidence that we will eventually prevail.”
Moreover, Napolitano asserts in her lawsuit that she had agreed to participate in the documentary under the condition that only one of Rainey’s interviews would be included. Expecting that her genuine account of the abduction would finally be showcased, she was alarmed by the content after an early screening in September.
Linda Napolitano contends that the Netflix series depicts her as “a villain for the sake of controversy and conflict,”which she believes tarnishes her reputation as an honest individual.
As of now, The Manhattan Alien Abduction is available for streaming on Netflix.
Images Credit: We.com
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