In 1992, Tyson was arrested and convicted for raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington, a Miss Black America Pageant contestant from Rhode Island. The two met in 1991 when he was invited to the pageant as a celebrity guest; according to her testimony, the assault occurred in Tyson's hotel room, and she went to a nearby hospital the following morning to report the attack. Tyson, who has maintained his innocence for decades now, was given a 10-year sentence with four years suspended. Of the remaining six years, he served three in an Indiana penitentiary before being released in 1995.
The incident and Tyson's subsequent prison sentence, including his conversion to Islam, are addressed in the second half of the series, in which Washington is portrayed by actor Li Eubanks. Eubanks got her start in a pair of Lifetime original movies co-starring Vivica A. Fox, "The Wrong Friend" and "The Wrong Tutor," which, despite their similar titles and cast, are not connected to one another. She also appeared in a 2020 episode of the CBS/OWN courtroom drama "All Rise," starring Simone Missick.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
