Attorney Bill Marler is a featured figure in the Netflix documentary Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food, which chronicles his decades-long career as a leading food safety advocate and lawyer. The film is based on Jeff Benedict’s book Poisoned, which details Marler’s involvement in the landmark 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak.
Marler’s involvement is central to the documentary’s narrative.
• His landmark case: The documentary highlights Marler’s role in representing victims of the 1993 E. coli outbreak at Jack in the Box, including a $15.6 million settlement for one of the most seriously injured survivors.
• His food safety advocacy: Following the outbreak, Marler became a nationally recognized expert in foodborne illness litigation and a tireless advocate for stricter food safety regulations.
• His commentary: The documentary features Marler’s commentary on the systemic problems within the American food industry, including how a desire for profits often trumps consumer safety. He discusses how the industry knowingly sells products with pathogens like Salmonella because they are not considered “adulterants” that would make the products illegal.
• The book connection: The film directly adapts the story from the book Poisoned, which details Marler’s rise as a food safety attorney. Following the documentary’s release, Marler participated in Q&A sessions with the book’s author, Jeff Benedict.
And, now the Emmy.