No games! Central Park Five members have filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump for defamation. This legal action stems from incendiary comments the ex president made during a recent presidential debate, where he misrepresented their 1989 case.
During the debate that was held in September, Trump leveled accusations at the five men, claiming they had pleaded guilty to the crimes associated with the brutal beating and rape of a woman in Central Park. He went so far as to say these teenagers “badly hurt a person, killed a person,” a statement that stands in contrast to the reality of their wrongful convictions.
WOW! The Central Park 5 have just sued Trump for his remarks below at the September 10th debate where he stated they had pleaded guilty to a crime.
“Plaintiffs demand judgment against Defendant Donald J. Trump for compensatory damages, for punitive damages and for costs, in an… pic.twitter.com/ENGc05WPZd
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) October 21, 2024
The lawsuit, spanning 20 pages, states that Trump was fully aware of the truth and acted with “reckless disregard” when he made those statements. This isn’t just a legal battle; it’s a fight against the public narrative that has long painted them as criminals, despite their exoneration in 2002 when DNA evidence proved that another individual was responsible for the crime.
The Central Park Five were just kids back then—teenagers caught in a system that pressured them into false confessions, a tale that mirrors the struggles against systemic racism and injustice in America.
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In 2014, after years of fighting for their names and reputations, the men reached a settlement with the city for their wrongful convictions. But now, Trump’s comments have reignited the pain and trauma they’ve worked so hard to overcome.
The lawsuit demands not only compensatory damages but also punitive damages, aiming to hold Trump accountable for the emotional distress his words have caused them. The suit argues that his remarks have placed these men in a false light, reopening old wounds that many thought had finally begun to heal.
Trump or his legal team have not yet responded to this latest lawsuit.
