Historically significant personalities, known originally as ‘The Central Park Five’ and later recognized as the ‘Exonerated Five’, spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This group comprises Black and Latino men who suffered a wrongful conviction for a horrific attack and sexual assault of a white woman in New York’s Central Park over three decades ago. Their plight became nationally recognized as officials were chastised for being inadequate in addressing criminal activities, spotlighted by the wave of arrests following several assaults in the park the same evening.
Shortly after the assault, Donald Trump, then primarily known for his real estate empire, stirred controversy by publicly advocating for the reinstatement of the death penalty for murder through advertisements in local newspapers. The survivor’s ordeal became the catalyst for Trump’s call, despite her horrifying, yet non-lethal, attack. In a turn of events, the Exonerated Five’s convictions were overturned in 2002 when another man, a serial rapist, confessed to the assault.
The case transitioned from a controversial conviction story to being emblematic of racial bias, unfair treatment, and disparity within the criminal justice system and broader media representation. Six teenagers initially faced charges for the assault, but Steven Lopez, one of the accused, saw charges dismissed after admitting guilt in a separate assault case.
The remaining five – Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise – were found guilty of the offenses and were deprived of their freedom, serving between 7 and 13 years in prison. Following their exoneration, the majority of the men transitioned to activism, with all but McCray appearing at the DNC alongside veteran activist Rev. Al Sharpton. Salaam further advanced his civic engagement by securing a seat on the New York City Council.
The event triggering these developments took place on April 19, 1989. Around 9 p.m. that evening, a wave of attacks, assaults, and robberies were perpetrated by a group of teenagers against visitors at the park. During this wave of violence, a 28-year-old female jogger was gravely assaulted, dragged a considerable distance off the path, and sexually violated.
Several hours later, around 1:30 a.m., the woman was discovered incapacitated in a shallow ditch. First responders were horrified by her injuries, one officer expressing it as the worst physical aftermath of an assault he had ever encountered, describing it as akin to torture. Six teenagers were apprehended by the police in connection with the attack, even though there was no match found between their DNA and any DNA evidence collected from the crime scene.
The absence of a forensic link was explained away by police as inconclusive. Lopez, one of the accused youth, professed ignorance of the assault on the jogger but suggested possible involvement of the other five. The boys, aged 14 to 16, all conceded their involvement in attacks that night but staunchly denied any role in the sexual assault.
Their confessions were later rescinded within a couple of weeks on the grounds that the police had falsely assured them of their imminent release, leading them to feel compelled to confess. The Exonerated Five, in 2014, accepted a $41 million federal lawsuit settlement from the City of New York. Two separate trials were conducted; McCray, Salaam, and Santana were tried together, with a second trial held for Richardson and Wise.
The collective decision of the trials found McCray, Salaam, and Santana guilty of assault and the rape of the female jogger, and guilty of the assault and robbery of a male jogger, though they were absolved of the more serious charge of attempted murder. Richardson was the only one found guilty of attempting to murder the female jogger, besides charges of sodomy and her assault. Wise was exonerated of rape and attempted murder, but was adjudged guilty of lesser charges associated with restraining and fondling the jogger.
In addition to the crimes against the female jogger, they were also found guilty of crimes related to the assault of a second male jogger. Despite the verdicts against them, they remained resolute in proclaiming their innocence while imprisoned. Santana regained freedom in 1995, followed by McCray in 1996, and Salaam and Richardson in 1997. Wise had to wait until 2002 for his release.
During his captivity in an upstate New York prison, Wise crossed paths with convict Matias Reyes. Fortune took an unexpected turn when Reyes confessed to Wise that he alone committed the infamous rape of the Central Park jogger. Wise swiftly reported Reyes’ confession to a correction officer.
Upon his admission in 2002, Reyes, then 17 years old during the time of the attack, claimed the sole responsibility for the the grievous assault and rape of the jogger. Further incriminating evidence surfaced when his DNA matched the samples found at the crime scene. He additionally conceded to raping four other women, additionally confessing to murder and an interrupted robbery, escalating events in the summer of 1989. Despite this, his sentence was capped at 33½ years to life.
Despite his confession, Reyes faced no additional charges due to the prevailing statute of limitations in New York at the time, however, his admission laid the groundwork that enabled the exoneration of the Central Park Five. Their convictions were officially vacated by the New York Supreme Court on December 19, 2002. The men were relieved of their obligations as registered sex offenders, including the tri-monthly in-person check-ins with authorities.
This case spurred heavy public discourse and revealed influential opinion leaders. A defense attorney from the case opined that the juries’ decisions were likely impacted by Trump’s highly-publicized 1989 ads. Trump, unwavering in his critique, expressed his displeasure with the 2014 settlement in an op-ed for the New York Daily News, describing it as ‘a disgrace.’
He further insinuated the men’s implied guilt by emphasizing the lack of evidence of their innocence despite the settlement. His remarks incited controversy, including stinging criticism from U.S. Senator John McCain. Even during his 2016 presidential run, Trump maintained his stance that the Exonerated Five were not innocent, prompting McCain to revoke his endorsement of Trump.
Controversial to the end, in 2019 Trump refused to extend an apology to the Exonerated Five, reiterating his belief in their guilt, despite their formal exoneration and the admission of guilt by the actual perpetrator, Matias Reyes. This narrative of the Exonerated Five unfolds as a real-life dramatic story, revealing systemic flaws and racial bias in the criminal justice system, while reminding us of the enduring strength of human spirit.