Thirty years ago, a city of millions became hostile to five teenagers. Central Park Five ā Corey Wise, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Anthony McCray and Yusuf Salaam ā they were accused of gang-rape white jogger. They are vilified in the press, Donald Trump called for execution and were convicted of several crimes in two separate trials. However, he didnāt do it. More than ten years after they were found guilty, the Central Park Five were exonerated of the crime.
The story has become an example of the injustice that black and brown people experience in the legal system ā four of the āCentral Park Fiveā are African-American, while one is Latino. Amid the lawsuits against Trump, hereās what you need to know about the five people and their cases:
The Central Park Five were accused of assaulting & raping a white woman in 1989
On the night of April 19, 1989, Trisha Meili went jogging in Central Park. A few hours later, the 28-year-old investment banker was found in a ravine, according to reports AM New York. He had been raped and brutally beaten, suffering a fractured skull among other life-threatening injuries. The attack was one of several that took place around Central Park that night, and a roaming group of 30+ young people, aged 13-17, were suspected of committing this atrocious crime. After the police carried out an investigation, they charged seven teenagers in connection with the crime, five of whom will be called the āCentral Park Fiveā.
The attack left Trisa in a coma for 12 days. After she recovered and was able to speak again, she said she did not remember the incident and could not identify who attacked and raped her.
They found guilty at first
While the Central Park Five initially admitted their involvement in the Central Park Attacks, the teenagers and their lawyers contend they were coerced into giving false statements during several hours of interrogation. Despite the lack of physical evidence linking to the crime scene and inconsistencies in the statement (the description of the jogger and the injuries do not match the evidence, each Esquire), the teenager was convicted of multiple charges in two separate trials in 1990.
Yusef, Raymond, and Antron were found guilty of rape, assault, robbery and rioting in the attack, as well as two separate assaults on two male joggers. Kevin was convicted of attempted murder, rape, sodomy, assault and robbery, and Korey was convicted of sexual abuse and assault. They served between 6 and 13 years, and all were released when the truth came out.
But he didnāt do it
In June 2002, Matias Reyes claiming that he was the one who assaulted and raped her Trisha Meili. This serial killer and rapist was serving 33 years to life for another crime when he confessed to the crime. DNA matching the genetic material found at the crime scene, and according to New York Timeshe āknew what he was talking about, and the five boys didnāt.ā
In December 2002, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau recommended that all charges against the Central Park Five be dropped. The conviction is vacated, the legal position is as if there was no trial. Over ten years after they were found guilty, five people were exonerated.
Donald Trump has publicly called for his execution
āAt what point did we cross the line from pure and noble pursuit of civil liberties into a reckless and dangerous permissive atmosphere that allows criminals of all ages to beat and rape defenseless women and then laugh at their familiesā distress? And why are they laughing? ?He laughs because he knows that soon, soon, he will return to the street to rape and maim and kill again ā but he does not face great personal risk to himself, āwrote Donald Trump in a screed that ran in the four most popular newspapers in the city on May 1, 1989. The now famous ad, The New York Times, New York Post, New York Daily News and New York Newsdaythe cost of the real estate mogul then $85,000, and has been used as evidence of Trumpās long-standing racism.
āI want to hate these muggers and murderers,ā Donald says in the ad. āThey should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their evil deeds. They should be an example to make others think long and hard before committing crimes or acts of violenceā¦. unshackle (the police) from the constant chant of āpolice brutalityā ā¦ BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY and BRING BACK THE POLICE.
āI know that this famous person who invited us to die is very serious,ā said Yuself Salaam The Guardian in 2016, adding that he didnāt know who Trump was at the time. He said that after the ad ran, the number of death threats his family received increased after the ad. Trumpās ads have been credited with helping cities (and nations) fight against children. In 2019, Trump has yet to apologize or admit he was wrong.
They are suing the city & Donald Trump next
After the conviction was vacated, the Central Park Five sued the city of New York for malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress. City, at that time-Mayor Michael Bloombergrefused to settle the case, but when Bill de Blasio took over, the city settled the case for $41 million in 2014.
In October 2024, the Central Park Five filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump. During the debate against Kamala Harris, the Republican candidate made several statements about the five people who were released, according to NBC News.
āDefendant Trump falsely stated (in the debate) that Plaintiffs killed individuals and pleaded guilty. These statements are patently false,ā the civil suit documents read, per the outlet. āThe plaintiff has never pleaded guilty to any wrongdoing and has since been cleared of all wrongdoing. Additionally, the victims of the Central Park attack were not killed.