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5 US Men Wrongfully Convicted for Rape & Imprisoned for Years get $40 Million Settlement
“The Central Park Five”
Can you imagine spending years behind bars for a crime you did not commit?
Five U.S men who were wrongfully convicted for rape 24 years ago have reached a $40 million settlement with New York City, according to NY Daily News.
The men: Kharey Wise, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Yusef Salaam, who are of Black and Latino descent, were arrested in 1989 amid public outrage over the savage rape of a 28-year-old woman who had been jogging in Central Park.
The Central Park 5 during trial in 1989
Wise served almost 13 years in prison, while the others spent seven years.
Their convictions were revoked in 2002, after career criminal Matias Reyes, confessed to the crime and DNA evidence backed up his claim. After they were freed, the men who are known as the “Central Park Five,” filed civil lawsuits against the city.
After may years spent petitioning for compensation, the city of New York has finally awarded them a $40 million settlement.
Photo Credit: The New York Times/Jim Estrin/NY Daily News
