A woman who was raped by an Irish firefighter in a Boston hotel has filed a lawsuit against Court TV, alleging the network twice broadcast her name during trial coverage, violating a judge's order to keep her identity confidential. The plaintiff, identified only as Jane Doe, claims Court TV disregarded the court's directive and that her name was subsequently shared widely online.
Terence Crosbie, 39, a firefighter visiting from Dublin, was convicted of raping the woman in a hotel room on March 15, 2024, during the Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade festivities. His first trial resulted in a hung jury, but he was found guilty in October 2025 and subsequently sentenced to seven to nine years in prison. Massachusetts law protects the privacy of sexual assault victims by keeping their names confidential, and the judge in Crosbie's case had ordered media outlets to redact the victim's name from their broadcasts.
According to the lawsuit filed in federal court, Court TV broadcast the woman's name on its chyron, or on-screen text, not once but twice. The suit asserts that the second violation occurred after the network had already been notified of the initial error. This broadcasted information was then published on social media platforms, leading to Doe's identity going viral on the internet.
Doe asserts she previously contacted E.W. Scripps Company, Court TV's parent company, in January seeking $2.8 million in damages. She also stated that Jellysmack, which acquired Court TV in February, rejected her claim. The federal lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress, physical and mental suffering, and medical bills.
"The second trial, ending in a guilty verdict, should have presented an opportunity for Doe finally to heal from the trauma of her rape," the filing states. "Instead, she finds herself now separately traumatized by the irresponsible disclosure of her identity – a harm that, given the internet's enduring nature, cannot be remedied and is unlikely to abate."
Doe's attorneys, Ellen Zucker and Martha Coakley of Zucker Law Group, described their client as "courageous" for coming forward about the sexual violence she endured. They emphasized the importance of protecting victims' privacy, stating, "Courts and the responsible press have long appreciated that victims of rape who testify in court deserve some measure of privacy. That principle is worth fighting for."
Prosecutors presented evidence during Crosbie's trial that he had traveled to Boston with other members of the Dublin Fire Brigade. After arriving on March 14, 2024, the group attended local bars. Crosbie's roommate reportedly brought the victim back to their hotel room after meeting her at a pub. The woman testified that she had consensual sex with the roommate and fell asleep, only to awaken to Crosbie raping her. Crosbie was arrested and seen in police bodycam footage being escorted off a plane on March 16, 2024, as he attempted to return to Dublin.