The ‘Central Park Five’ Get $41 Million Settlement
A federal judge approved a $41-million settlement Friday for five black and Latino men who were wrongly accused in the brutal rape and beating of a Central Park jogger in 1989.
According to the LA Times, the city of New York has yet to admit any wrongdoing in the matter, but are required to make the payouts to Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana Jr., Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise, each of whom served between six and 13 years in prison when the vicious act caught media attention in a time when New York was tormented by crime.
In 2003, the five filed a federal lawsuit, a year after their convictions were overturned, when it was found that police actually coerced their confessions when they were just young boys. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration fought the legal challenge for years, but freshman mayor Bill de Blasio has championed the men's case.
"This settlement is an act of justice for those five men that is long overdue. The city had a moral obligation to right this injustice — which is why, from Day One, I vowed to settle this case"
Admitted serial rapist Matias Reyes eventually confessed and told police he committed the assault, and DNA evidence confirmed the claim.
McCray, Richardson, Santana Jr. and Salaam will each receive $7,125,000, according to court records, and Wise will be paid $12,250,000. Each defendant was to be paid roughly $1 million for each year they were wrongly imprisoned, according to the terms of the settlement.
Netflix has captured the 1989 misfortune of the "Central Park Five" series "When They See Us". It's definitely a must-see. Check out the trailer below.
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