However, viewers are warning that it’s among ‘the most unsettling’ they have ever seen.
Stubblefield was a philosophy professor whose relationship resulted in a criminal conviction, making this story particularly gripping and intense.
Derrick was a 30-year-old non-verbal man with cerebral palsy, and their meeting happened through Derrick’s brother, John Johnson.
John was enrolled in one of Stubblefield’s courses at Rutgers University, located in Newark, New Jersey.
According to a 2015 article in The Times, both of Stubblefield’s parents had Ph.D.s in special education and had dedicated their careers to working extensively with people with disabilities.
This assistance soon led Derrick to take a class at the university.
However, Derrick’s mother, Daisy Johnson, has a very different perspective.
She asserts that her son was incapable of engaging in physical or emotional intimacy.
If this has piqued your interest, you can watch the trailer for the doc on, Tell Them You Love Me.
Stubblefield initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. However, in 2016, she was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
By the following year, Stubblefield pleaded guilty to ‘third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact,’ although she continues to maintain in the documentary that she was ‘not guilty of a crime’.
Since this Theroux-produced true crime documentary landed on Netflix, viewers have been very vocal about their opinions on social media.
Another viewer commented: “Just watched Tell Them You Love Me, and I really want to have a conversation about it. I’m so conflicted because I can see both ends of the spectrum.”
This new release has certainly sparked a lot of discussion and debate, making it a must-watch for fans of true crime documentaries who are looking for something thought-provoking and deeply unsettling.
