Exonerated Central Park 5 lost time but won even more admiration and respect
Highlights from the Democratic National Convention: Rev. Al Sharpton introduces the Central Park 5 onstage
As much as I wish I didn’t know who 14-year-olds Raymond Santana and Kevin Richardson, 15-year-olds Antron McCray and Yusef Salaam, and 16-year-old Korey Wise were — or at least not for the reasons we know them now — I love that these adult brothas show up to remind us that they survived in spite of all the racism and trauma they endured in 1989 (and six and 13 years* in prison).
Recommended Read: “Inmate No. P01135809 ~ Central Park 5 has every right to have the biggest Cheshire grins on their faces when Trump's mugshot released”
And during this 2024 presidential campaign, all five showed up to the Democratic National Convention where their presence was both welcomed and needed to remind attendees in person and at home exactly what type of person Trump** is.
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* The convictions of the Central Park Five were thrown out in 2002. The five then-boys were were wrongly accused and convicted of the 1989 rape of a white jogger named Trisha Meili. Matias Reyes, a murderer and serial rapist who was already serving time in prison, would later confess to the crime.
** Two weeks after the Central Park attack, before any trials and while Meili was in a coma, Donald Trump paid $85,000 for advertising space in four of the city’s newspapers, most notably the New York Times. The headline read “Bring Back The Death Penalty. Bring Back Our Police!” Trump also wrote: “I want to hate these muggers and murderers. They should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes. They must serve as examples so that others will think long and hard before committing a crime or an act of violence.” And then signed the newspaper ad to confirm these were his words.
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