The Central Park Five
The members of the “Central Park Five”—who now refer to themselves as the Exonerated Five—are currently working as prominent criminal justice reform advocates, public speakers, and public servants. After spending between 6 and 13 years in prison, they were fully exonerated in 2002 and later won a $40 million civil settlement from New York City.
Most recently, the men made headlines collectively by filing a defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump, following statements he made about their case during a presidential campaign rally.
Individual statuses and locations:
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Dr. Yusef Salaam
- Location:New York City, New York.
- Current Role: He serves as a New York City Council member, representing Harlem’s 9th District.
- Personal Life: He is a father of 10 children, a published author, and a motivational speaker.
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Korey Wise
- Location:New York City, New York.
- Current Role: He works as an active public speaker and criminal justice reform advocate.
- Legacy: As the only member tried as an adult, he served the longest sentence (12 years). He established the Korey Wise Innocence Project at the University of Colorado Law School to support other wrongfully convicted individuals.
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Raymond Santana Jr.
- Location:Georgia.
- Current Role: He runs his own apparel company, Park Madison NYC, using fashion to reclaim his lost youth.
- Activities: He is heavily involved in public speaking and has expressed intent to transition further into community leadership and local advocacy.
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Kevin Richardson
- Location:New Jersey.
- Current Role: He works closely with the Innocence Project to advocate for systematic legal changes. He was highly influential in pushing a New York state law that mandates the video recording of police interrogations.
- Personal Life: He lives with his wife and two daughters.
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Antron McCray
- Location:Georgia.
- Current Role: He has chosen to maintain a low profile and largely avoids the media spotlight to focus entirely on raising his family.
- Personal Life: He lives near Atlanta with his wife and six children.
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Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act
From left to right: Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, Sen. Myrie Zellnor, Sharonne Salaam, and Raymond Santana introducing a criminal justice package in New York on Dec. 14, 2021 in Central Park. (Image: Elijah Craig/Innocence Project
Systemic Reform: The mothers continue to push for the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act to provide pathways for others to prove their innocence without DNA evidence.
The Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act (CWCA) is a proposed New York State law designed to expand the legal pathways for innocent people to overturn their convictions. Its primary focus is helping those who pleaded guilty but later discovered evidence of their innocence, a group currently barred from most relief unless they have DNA evidence.
🏛️ Current Status
The bill has faced a difficult path in the New York State Legislature:
- Vetoed in 2023: Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed the 2023 version of the bill (S266A/A98), citing concerns that it was too broad and could overwhelm the court system.
- Active in 2025-2026 Session: A revised version (S6319B/A7422B) was reintroduced to address previous concerns while maintaining core protections for the wrongfully convicted.
- Recent Momentum: In 2024 and 2025, advocates like the Innocence Project and New York County Defender Services have continued pushing for its inclusion in the state budget and legislative sessions.
✨ Key Provisions
The Act aims to overhaul Criminal Procedure Law Article 440, which governs post-judgment motions: [1, 2]
- Right to Counsel: Guarantees access to an attorney for individuals with credible claims of wrongful conviction.
- Post-Conviction Discovery: Provides a legal right to access evidence held by the prosecution or third parties after a conviction.
- Relief for Guilty Pleas: Allows people who pleaded guilty to challenge their conviction based on “actual innocence” without needing DNA evidence.
- Decriminalized Acts: Provides a mechanism to clear records for acts that have since been decriminalized (e.g., certain cannabis offenses).
- Right to Appeal: Establishes a formal right to appeal a judge’s decision on a post-conviction motion.
⚖️ Why It Matters
New York has the third-highest number of wrongful convictions in the U.S.
- Plea Deal Pressure: Approximately 98% of felony convictions in NY stem from plea deals, which innocent people sometimes accept to avoid the “trial penalty” of much longer sentences.
- Procedural Barriers: Current laws contain “procedural bars” that often allow judges to dismiss innocence claims on technicalities without ever hearing the actual evidence.
- Humanizing Language: The bill replaces the term “defendant” with “applicant” to humanize those seeking redress.
“We Walk By Faith” – ASHE’
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LINKS ~
[ Research ]
https://abcnews.com/US/case-settled-1989-central-park-jogger-believes-person/story?
id=63077131
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https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2016/10/07/reality-check-donald-trump-and-central-park-5/https://grist.org/cities/how-our-fear-of-wilding-colored-the-central-park-five-case/
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https://www.britannica.com/topic/Central-Park-Fivehttps://pix11.com/news/central-park-five-netflix-
series-when-they-see-us-premieres-at-the-apollo/
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https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/who-was-
actually-guilty-rape-central-park-jogger-matias-reyes
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https://www.newsweek.com/who-matias-reyes-serial-rapist-murderer-central-park-five-series-when-they-see-us-1442045
https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2022/12/19/central-park-entry-gate-commemorates-the-exonerated-five/
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https://www.npr.org/2024/09/11/nx-s1-5108632/central-park-five-trump-debate
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https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/who-was-actually-guilty-rape-central-park-jogger-matias-reyes
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https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/exonerated-five-dr-yusef-salaam-punching-the-air
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https://www.kpbs.org/news/arts-culture/2013/04/15/central-park-five
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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48563756
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https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/see-us-sparked-boycott-against-212100914.html
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https://hiphopwired.com/2674828/judge-rules-in-favor-of-central-park-5-against-donald-trump/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRTv9FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFkUkFZbXdZTWpGRDBMSTNtc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHl2wdPHjPrKBqOBq0no6elgwg4gQeHJgLtxTuCksIk2egzsRXv7F9GkUPdAo_aem_z6HN6IZEGpwDKnPf2MEgAA
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https://innocenceproject.org/news/from-injustice-to-influence-the-enduring-legacy-of-the-exonerated-five/
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https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2019/06/06/central-park-5-black-press/
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusef_Salaam
https://innocenceproject.org/cases/korey-wise/
https://innocenceproject.org/news/from-injustice-to-influence-the-enduring-legacy-of-the-exonerated-five/
https://www.npr.org/2024/09/11/nx-s1-5108632/central-park-five-trump-debate
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BOOKS:
The primary, most comprehensive text is “The Central Park Five: A Chronicle of a City Wilding” by Sarah Burns. Sarah Burns’ book is highly recommended for understanding the full context, including the media’s role in creating a “city wilding” narrative.
Key Books
The Central Park Five: A Chronicle of a City Wilding by Sarah Burns (2011): This is the definitive account, examining how race, media, and police coerced confessions from five teenagers. It was the basis for the documentary of the same name.
Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice by Yusef Salaam (2021): A memoir by one of the exonerated five, focusing on his life after wrongful conviction and his work as an activist.
Unequal Verdicts: The Central Park Jogger Trials by Timothy Sullivan (1992): An earlier look into the trials and the legal proceedings.
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Related Reading
I Am the Central Park Jogger: A Story of Hope and Possibility by Trisha Meili(2003): A memoir by the victim in the case.
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson (referenced via Innocence Project context): While not exclusively about the Five, it is a crucial text on the systemic issues of wrongful convictions.
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NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED
[Educational Purposes Only]
© Dale Ricardo Shields 2026
© Dale Ricardo Shields 2026
