Sagsmappe
The Central Park Five: Wrongful Conviction and DNA Justice
How five teenagers were imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit—and what their exoneration revealed about the justice system
BEVIS
Sagsdetaljer
Quick Facts
On April 19, 1989, Trisha Meili, a 28-year-old white investment banker, was jogging in Central Park when she was beaten, raped, and left for dead. The crime occurred during a surge in violent attacks that night, with dozens of teenagers reported to be harassing and assaulting people throughout the park.
Five teenagers were arrested shortly after: Antron McCray (15), Kevin Richardson (14), Yusef Salaam (15), Raymond Santana (14), and Korey Wise (16). All were part of a larger group of up to 33 youths present in the park that evening. A sixth teenager, Steven Lopez, was also indicted but his charges were later dropped after he pleaded guilty to assaulting another jogger, John Loughlin.
Confessions and Inconsistencies
Timeline
19 April 1989
Vergewaltigung im Central Park
Die 28-jährige Joggerin Trisha Meili wird im Central Park brutal überfallen und vergewaltigt. Sie überlebt nur knapp.
20 April 1989
Verhaftung der fünf Teenager
Die Polizei verhaftet fünf Jugendliche im Alter von 14 bis 16 Jahren: Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana und Korey Wise.
21 April 1989
Erzwungene Geständnisse
Nach stundenlangen Verhören ohne Anwälte gestehen alle fünf unter Druck und falschen Versprechungen. Die Geständnisse widersprechen sich gegenseitig und den Fakten.
18 August 1990
Verurteilung
Alle fünf werden verurteilt – trotz fehlender DNA-Übereinstimmung und widersprüchlicher Aussagen. Sie erhalten Strafen zwischen 5 und 15 Jahren.
6 January 2002
Geständnis des wahren Täters
Der verurteilte Serienvergewaltiger Matias Reyes gesteht die Tat. Seine DNA stimmt mit den Spuren vom Tatort überein.
19 December 2002
Urteile aufgehoben
Ein Gericht in Manhattan hebt alle Verurteilungen auf. Die Central Park Five sind offiziell entlastet.
27 June 2014
Vergleich über 41 Millionen Dollar
New York City zahlt den fünf Männern 41 Millionen US-Dollar Entschädigung – nach jahrelangem Rechtsstreit.
31 May 2019
Netflix-Serie 'When They See Us'
Die von Ava DuVernay produzierte Miniserie erreicht weltweite Aufmerksamkeit und gewinnt mehrere Emmys.
During interrogations lasting 14 to 30 hours, four of the five confessed to the attack. However, these confessions soon proved deeply problematic. The youths later recanted, alleging coercion during questioning. More critically, their accounts were inconsistent with each other and contradicted the physical evidence gathered at the crime scene.
Despite confessions, no physical evidence linked any of the five to Meili's attack. No blood was found on their clothing, and crucially, DNA evidence from semen recovered from the victim did not match any of the accused teenagers. There was also no physical evidence suggesting multiple attackers, yet all five were being prosecuted as co-perpetrators.
Trial, Conviction, and Prison
The case proceeded to , and after jury deliberations lasting ten days, verdicts were returned on August 18, 1990. All five were convicted of assault and rape in connection with Meili's attack, as well as assault and related to the separate attack on John Loughlin. Three of the five were acquitted of attempted charges. Despite the questionable , sentences ranged from 7 to 13 years in prison.