Exonerated Central Park Five members call out Trump’s injustice at DNC as they claim he’ll ‘never change’

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Members of the exonerated Central Park Five took center stage at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, August 22, where they delivered a blistering rebuke of former president Donald Trump, whose relentless campaign for their execution remains a dark chapter in American history.

Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise, Raymond Santana, and Kevin Richardson, who were wrongly convicted as teenagers of a brutal assault in 1989, stood side by side with civil rights icon Rev Al Sharpton, addressing a packed arena that hung on their every word.

Central Park Five claim Donald Trump’s relentless execution calls overshadowed their innocence 

The central Park Five members, who have since become symbols of racial injustice and wrongful conviction, did not mince words as they took aim at the man who once sought their deaths.

“Forty-five wanted us unalive. He wanted us dead. Today, we are exonerated because the actual perpetrator confessed, and DNA proved it," said Yusef Salaam, now a New York City Council member.

“He dismisses the scientific evidence rather than admit he was wrong," he declared to thunderous applause, referencing Trump’s actions during their case.

Salaam's words cut deep, reminding the nation of Trump’s unrepentant pursuit of the death penalty against the then-teenagers—a pursuit that ignored their innocence.

“He has never changed, and he never will. That man thinks that hate is the animating force in America. It is not,” Salaam continued, delivering a scathing indictment of Trump’s character. 

What was the case against the Central Park Five?

In 1989, Donald Trump placed full-page ads in New York newspapers demanding the death penalty for five boys, aged 14 to 16, who were subsequently convicted of brutally assaulting Tricia Meili jogging in Central Park—a case that gained significant media attention.

Their 1990 convictions were eventually overturned and they were exonerated more than a decade later, in 2002, when convicted murderer Matias Reyes admitted to the crime, a confession corroborated by DNA evidence. Despite this, Trump has steadfastly refused to apologize for his role in the case, a fact that Salaam, Wise, and the others did not let go unnoticed.

Exonerated Central Park Five members endorse Kamala Harris

Korey Wise, another member of the Central Park Five, recalled the chilling reality of Donald Trump’s actions. “We were innocent kids,” Wise said, his voice filled with a mix of pain and defiance.

He reminded the audience that Trump had not only called for their execution but had spent thousands of dollars on a full-page ad in The New York Times demanding it—a move that cemented his role in their wrongful persecution.

Wise also took a moment to highlight Democratic presidential frontrunner Vice President Kamala Harris’ commitment to justice, expressing confidence in her ability to continue that fight as president.

“Vice President Harris has also worked to make things fairer. I know she will do the same as president,” Wise asserted.

Their appearance at the DNC was a stark reminder of the racial tensions that continue to plague the nation, especially as Trump seeks to appeal to Black voters ahead of the upcoming election. Harris, who won 87 percent of Black voters in 2020, will likely need to galvanize that same support to defeat Trump in November.

Injustice suffered by Central Park Five sparks online fury

The emotional impact of the Central Park Five's address at the Democratic National Convention reverberated through social media, with users expressing deep sorrow, outrage, and a renewed call for justice.

"This was a powerful moment," tweeted a user.

"Trump's ad, 1989," added another.

"This was incredibly powerful. Those poor innocent men. What a monster that Orange shitstain has been his entire life," said a user.

"This was gutting. And that monster has never apologized. What trash," read a tweet.

"This Story Always Brings Me To Tears. Korey Had It Worse. The PO Were Taking Yusef, &Korey Volunteered To Go As Support, He Served The Most," penned the user.

"This weighs heavy on my heart. What happen to these boys, now grown men, is a stain on the American justice system. And it’s still happening across the country to this day! What they were made to endure was pure evil. May this serve as a reminder to us all: We’reNotGoingBack!" stated a user.

"Amazing they could be bitter and hateful but instead they still love this country," chimed another.

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