Central Park Five Wrongly Convicted: A Timeline

Around 9 pm on April 19, 1989, the NYPD started getting reports.A large group of teenagers was moving through Central Park. They committed assaults, robberies, and vandalism. The NYPD sent many officers to handle them. Around 10:30 pm, five arrests happened near the park, including Raymond Santana and Kevin Richardson.Raymond Santana and Kevin Richardson were arrested around 10:30 pm on April 19, 1989, while moving through Central Park. They engaged in assault, robbery, and vandalism; the NYPD sent officers to handle the situation. Five arrests happened near the park then.

Officers questioned the boys at the Central Park police station. They used their statements to build a list of 33 teenagers involved in the rampage that night.

Around 1:30 am on April 20, two construction workers found Trisha Meili badly hurt in a ditch in Central Park. They rushed her to the hospital, and a search for her attackers started.

All the boys soon after took back their statements.They brought in over 30 people for questioning.Authorities questioned Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, and Korey Wise. Interrogations over days yielded partial "confessions" from five boys aged 14 to 16: Santana, Richardson, McCray, Salaam, and Wise. These interrogations lacked recording and remain the focus.Several DNA samples came from the crime scene. However, DNA use in court cases was new. New York lacked a DNA databank until 1996. Samples needed to be large and very clean to give a usable result. Thus, the bodily fluids found at the scene could not conclusively rule in or rule out any suspect in 1989.It would take over ten years before DNA was retested with better methods.

The five boys split into two trials. McCray, Salaam, and Santana went to trial first. With little physical proof, prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer relied mostly on video confessions from Santana and McCray. She also connected the attack on Trisha Meili to the crime spree a group of teens committed in Central Park that night.

On August 5, 1989, 17-year-old Matias Reyes was caught after sexually assaulting a woman in her apartment. Police and prosecutors linked Reyes to eight other crimes, including more sexual assaults and a murder. One incident occurred in Central Park just two days before Trisha Meili was attacked.

Detective Mike Sheehan handled the case.Sheehan later said about Reyes:"This guy was a frightening guy. He was capable of doing anything. He’s very manipulative."

DNA samples came from the crime scene, but DNA use in court was new. New York lacked a DNA databank until 1996. Samples needed to be large and very clean to yield a result. Thus, the bodily fluids at the scene could not.DNA could not conclusively rule in or rule out any suspect in 1989.DNA could not conclusively rule in or rule out any suspect in 1989.

It took over ten years before DNA retesting used better methods.

The five boys split into two trials. McCray, Salaam, and Santana went first. With little physical proof, prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer relied on video confessions from Santana and McCray. She also connected the attack on Trisha Meili to the crime spree a large group of teens committed in Central Park that night.

However,none of the other seven victims of assault that night could identify any of the Central Park Five as their attackers.none of the other seven victims of assault that night could identify any of the Central Park Five as their attackers.

Salaam was the only one of the five tonever submit any police statement on paper or video. Frustrated by his lawyer's poor work, Salaam decided to testify.Salaam pushed to take the stand in his own defense.Salaam pushed to take the stand in his own defense.

Over two days, Salaam protested police threats and family separation. He was under 16 when he was arrested.

Despite weak evidence, the first three boys tried for rape, assault, robbery, and riot. The jury convicted them.McCray, Salaam, and Santana were convicted on various charges on August 18, 1990, receiving five to ten years in juvenile detention.All three boys spent about seven years in prison.

Even after release, they had to register as sex offenders.

The second trial started soon after the first. Richardson and Wise appeared together. Wise's shaky, conflicting video confessions and his learning disability made coerced confessions seem more real to the jury. One juror later admitted shedid not want Wise to be found guilty.but other jurors pushed for a conviction. Both boys ended up convicted.

Richardson got five to ten years in juvenile detention, just like the others. Wise faced an adult trial. Wise received a longer sentence than the others, up to 15 years.

Matias Reyes's case moved slowly through the courts. He finally agreed to a plea deal, admitting rape and murder for a 33-year prison sentence.

Reyes allegedly terrorized the Upper East Side for months, threatening to blind or kill victimsso they could not identify him.At Reyes's sentencing, he became angry. When given a chance to speak, he cursed the judge and his lawyer. Reyes then attacked his lawyer, Richard Siracusa,

During Reyes's sentencing, he became angry and hostile. When offered a chance to speak, Reyes cursed the judge and his defense lawyer. Reyes then attacked his lawyer, Richard Siracusa.before court officers pulled him away.Judge Galligan broke the plea deal, stating that if Reyes was ever released, "The civilian population would be at risk."

Judge Galligan broke the plea bargain, stating that if Reyes was freed, "The civilian population would be at risk."

Reyes and Wise met early in Reyes's sentence on Rikers Island. They fought over controlling the television. In 2001, Reyes met Wise again and saw he was still locked up for the same crime. This realization made Reyes feel guilty and he needed to apologize to Wise.Others think Reyes just wanted to curry favor with Wise,who had become an important figure in a prison gang. Others believe Reyes sought credit for his crime or just attention,

Others believe Reyes was simplyAt Wise's demand, Reyes gave his confession to corrections officers.After some time, they gave the information to city officials, and the news spread fast through the media. The NYPD started re-investigating the case and made at least two major findings using modern genetic testing.Reyes acted like documentarian Ken Burns.Some think Reyes sought credit for his crime or just wanted attention.

At Wise's demand, Reyes gave his confession to corrections officers.After some time, they passed the information to city officials. The news spread fast through the media. The NYPD started re-investigating the case and made at least two big finds using modern genetic testing.The NYPD re-investigated the case and made at least two big finds using modern genetic testing methods after city officials got the information and the news spread through the media.

First, they found the two hairs in Richardson's clothes did not match Trisha Meili, contrary to initial suspicions. A sock found at the crime scene with genetic material on it also matchedReyes matches the description.Reyes acted alone.

Knowing the news about Reyes, the Central Park Five immediately pushed for their release. By August, lawyers for the five men petitionedto dismiss their convictions.

The District Attorney's office first argued Reyes committed the assault with the five boys orfound the crime scene after they left.Many prepared for a new trial.

Wise was the only one of the five who...Wise had not been freed by 2002.He served the 13th year of his 15-year sentence.

New evidence led to Wise's early release.

Under pressure and after extensions, the Manhattan district attorney decided on the Central Park Five. The legal office recommended clearing the men's records, an action that happenedOn December 19, 2002..

Their convictions were canceled, andtheir names were removed from the sex offender registry. After a long fight, most people now see the five men as innocent.Shortly after the convictions ended, the Central Park Five sued the City of New York for $250 million, citing "malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress." City lawyers under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg insisted

After their convictions lifted, the Central Park Five sued the City of New York for $250 million. They claimed malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress. City lawyers, under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, fought the case for over ten years, insisting...Mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio said he wanted to settle the suit, and after his 2013 election, he followed through. On September 5, 2014, the city settledfor $41 million.

Mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio wanted to settle the suit while campaigning. After his 2013 election, he followed through. On September 5, 2014, the city settled...for $41 million.

Steven LopezA sixth teenager charged with raping Trisha Meili, Steven Lopez, is less known than the other defendants because he pleaded not guilty to the assault. He also faced charges of robbing a male jogger in Central Park that same night in 1989. At that time, Lopez signed a statement saying he was at the site, but he did not claim involvement in the rape. He later made a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to the robbery to avoid the rape charge, even though no evidence linked him to either assault.told the courtthat Lopez "was charged and pleaded guilty in the face of false statements, unreliable forensic analysis, and immense external pressure."

In 2021, Lopez, who did not appear in the Ava DuVernay film, asked the Manhattan district attorney's office to review his case. The district attorney agreed. A judge dropped the robbery charge on July 25, 2022. District Attorney Alvin Bragg...told the court...that Lopez "was charged and pleaded guilty in the face of false statements, unreliable forensic analysis, and immense external pressure."