Donald Trump may not have to worry about doing time, but he’s still fighting a legal battle against the Exonerated Five and defending claims that the still-living Central Park jogger was “virtually dead.”
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This time, Trump faces a new lawsuit filed by the Exonerated Five, dubbed the Central Park Five at the time he publicly called for their execution as teens. The president-elect claims his controversial remarks about the five men, who were falsely accused in 1989 of raping a jogger in Central Park, were “substantially true.”
But his reasoning is leaving many scratching their heads.
Trump’s Defamation Defense: ‘Substantially True’ or Substantially Problematic?
The lawsuit centers on comments Trump made during the highly watched Sept. 10, 2024, presidential debate. According to Law & Crime, Trump responded to Vice President Kamala Harris’ criticism of his infamous 1989 full-page ad calling for the Central Park Five’s execution by doubling down on his past rhetoric.
In the debate, Harris blasted Trump for using race to divide America and highlighted his actions against five innocent Black and Latino teens. Trump’s response:
“They admitted — they said they pled guilty. They badly hurt a person, killed a person ultimately… but now, they say they’re not guilty.”
Fast forward to now, and Trump’s legal team is arguing that his statements were not defamatory because they were “substantially true.” According to Law & Crime, court documents filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania claim that the plaintiffs are taking his comments out of context and misrepresenting them to build their case.
Imagine if we had fact-checkers!
The Exonerated Five Fire Back: “Demonstrably False” Claims
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The plaintiffs, now men in their 40s and 50s, argue that Trump’s statements during the debate were blatantly untrue. In Law & Crime, the lawsuit states:
“Plaintiffs never pled guilty to any crime and were subsequently cleared of all wrongdoing.”
Additionally, they point out that Patricia Meili, the jogger attacked that night in Central Park, survived her injuries and is still alive today.
The group, consisting of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Korey Wise, and Yusef Salaam, also detailed how their wrongful convictions were based on coerced confessions obtained under duress.
Reported by Law & Crime, the lawsuit also proves that, stating:
“Plaintiffs all recanted their coerced statements shortly after their interrogations.”
Their convictions were ultimately overturned in 2002 when Matias Reyes, a convicted rapist, confessed to the crime, and DNA evidence confirmed his guilt. Law & Crime notes that New York City settled with the five men for $41 million in 2014.
What’s the Real Effect of Trump’s Words?
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Trump’s legal team is relying on the “reasonable listener” standard to argue their case. They claim that no rational person would interpret Trump’s debate remarks as asserting that the now Exonerated Five actually pled guilty or killed someone.
But this is illogical. Trump is going to be our next President—again! He’s a high-profile figure that stays in the headlines. His words and actions always carry substantial weight, whether he literally meant them or not. Why wouldn’t his statements—true or false— have an affect on people?
Like, make that makes sense.
A History of Harm: Trump and the Famously Framed Central Park Five
Trump has a long history with the Central Park Five, dating back to 1989. Law and Crime states he spent $85,000 on newspaper ads calling for the teenagers’ execution after they were accused of raping Meili.
The Ad Stated: “Bring back the death penalty. Bring back our police!”
Years later, even after the men were cleared by DNA evidence, Trump refused to backtrack or apologize. His remarks during the 2024 debate reignited long-simmering tensions and reminded many of the racialized injustice the case represents.
At the DNC in 2024, the now Exonerated Five spoke out against him and his motives at the time, stating “45 wanted us unalived.”
What’s Next for the Exonerated Five Case?
As the lawsuit unfolds, Trump is asking the federal judge to dismiss the case entirely.
Of course, he is!
Whether the court will accept his “virtually dead” argument remains to be seen. This legal battle is reopening old wounds and putting Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric under the microscope yet again.
The Exonerated Five are standing firm in their fight, determined to correct the record and hold Trump accountable for what they call his “demonstrably false” claims.
