Exonerated Five Warn of Trump's Return at Democratic Convention

Four members of the Exonerated Five, formerly known as the Central Park Five, addressed the Democratic National Convention on August 22, 2024, cautioning against the potential consequences of a second Donald Trump presidency. The group, wrongfully convicted of a crime they did not commit in 1989, shared their personal experiences and concerns about the former president's past actions and current attitudes.

Korey Wise, one of the exonerated individuals, stated, > "Thirty-five years ago, my friends and I were in prison for a crime we did not commit. Our youth was stolen from us. Every day, as we walked into a courtroom, people screamed at us, threatening us because of Donald Trump."

The case, which occurred on April 19, 1989, involved the assault of a 28-year-old investment banker in Central Park. Five teenagers, aged 14 to 16, were wrongfully arrested and convicted despite the lack of physical evidence linking them to the crime. The group spent between 6 and 13 years in prison before their exoneration in 2002.

Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Kevin Richardson joined Wise on stage to share their story. They recounted how Trump, then a prominent New York real estate developer, took out full-page advertisements in four newspapers calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty. The ads, published during their trial, significantly impacted public opinion and potentially influenced the legal proceedings.

In 2002, DNA evidence confirmed the confession of Matias Reyes, a convicted murderer and serial rapist, as the actual perpetrator of the crime. This led to the exoneration of the five men, who subsequently became known as the Exonerated Five. In 2014, they reached a $41 million wrongful conviction settlement with New York City, approximately $1 million for each year of imprisonment.

Salaam, who was elected to the New York City Council in November 2023, emphasized Trump's continued refusal to acknowledge their innocence or apologize for his past actions. He stated, "That guy still says he still stands by the original guilty verdict. He dismisses the scientific evidence rather than admit he was wrong. He has never changed and he never will."

The case has since become a significant example of wrongful conviction and racial bias in the criminal justice system. It has been the subject of numerous documentaries and a Netflix miniseries, and is often studied in law schools as a cautionary tale against rush to judgment and media sensationalism.

The speakers urged the audience to support Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in the upcoming November 5, 2024 presidential election. Salaam concluded by saying, "We have the constitutional right to vote. In fact, it is a human right. So let us use it... and together, on Nov. 5, we will usher in Kamala Harris and Tim Walz into the White House."

The appearance of the Exonerated Five at the Democratic National Convention serves as a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of wrongful convictions and the importance of criminal justice reform. Their story continues to resonate, highlighting the need for careful consideration of evidence and the potential consequences of public figures influencing legal proceedings.