Derrick appeared to be progressing with FC, but only seemed to do so when Anna was involved, not when his mother or brother were. He attended conferences and wrote essays for an African American literature course. But soon, suspicions were raised when Derrick’s preferences seemed to reflect Anna’s, not what his family knew to be his own.
Anna, who was married at the time, claimed that her and Derrick fell in love and embarked on a “consensual” sexual relationship. Derrick’s mum Daisy, on hearing this, called the police. Anna was then charged in 2013 with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault. No evidence related to FC was considered by the court because it wasn’t scientifically recognised.
But Anna’s verdict was overturned when a judge ruled that her original trial “unfairly excluded evidence related to the man’s capacity to give consent”. In a new trial, she accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to sexual misconduct.
SKY UK
Where can I watch Tell Them You Love Me?
While it was released on Netflix in the US, it’s available to watch on Sky and NOW TV in the UK.
Where is Anna Stubblefield now?
She was released from prison after two years in 2017, and now lives out of the public eye and hasn’t seen Derrick since 2011.
For the documentary’s director Nick August-Perna, his feelings around the conviction being overturned are not simple. “It’s complicated because of the material evidence that was barred from the courtroom in the original trial,” he said in an interview with Netflix’s TUDUM. “I don’t know if it would have made a difference in the outcome, but most legal experts I’ve spoken to agree with the appellate decision.”
The ending of the documentary shows how Derrick is doing now – he is healthy and living with his mother. Louis Theroux also spoke to TUDUM about the importance of showing this.
“It was important to remind viewers of who the central character in the film is, and to tune out all the other voices for a moment,” he said. “The bigger picture is, he’s healthy, he’s safe, he’s provided for, he’s loved, but we’re also maybe wondering how much more he may be capable of, how much more life might have to offer him were his circumstances different.”