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Donald Trump has reportedly been hit with a federal lawsuit from the members of the exonerated “Central Park Five,” now known as the “Exonerated Five.”
According to CNN, members of the exonerated Central Park Five filed the lawsuit against Trump on Monday, October 21. The group reportedly asserted that Trump made “false and defamatory” statements about them during his September presidential debate against VP Kamala Harris.
Additionally, the lawsuit asserts that Trump knowingly acted with “reckless disregard” when he spoke about their 1989 case. During the debate, Trump reportedly alleged the five men who were then teenagers plead guilty to raping a woman in Central Park. Furthermore, Trump alleged the group “badly hurt a person, killed a person” during the incident.
“Defendant Trumps statements were false and defamatory in numerous respects. Plaintiffs never pled guilty to the Central Park assaults. Plaintiffs all pled not guilty and maintained their innocence throughout their trial and incarceration, as well as after they were released from prison,” a portion of the suit reads, per CNN. “None of the victims of the Central Park assaults were killed.”
Per CNN, the group, which consists of members Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron Brown (formerly Antron McCray), and Korey Wise, is reportedly seeking compensatory and punitive damages from Trump. Additionally, the suit asserts that Trump’s recent statements placed them in a false light and caused them to “suffer severe emotional distress.”
Per TMZ, Steven Cheung,a spokesperson for Trump has issued a statement in response to the suit.
“This is just another frivolous, Election Interference lawsuit, filed by desperate left-wing activists, in an attempt to distract the American people from Kamala Harriss dangerously liberal agenda and failing campaign,” Cheung reportedly asserted. “The frantic lawfare efforts by Lyin Kamalas allies to interfere in the election are going nowhere and President Trump is dominating as he marches to a historic win for the American people on November 5th.”
According to NBC News, a woman was running in Central Park on April 19, 1989, when she was reportedly assaulted and raped. Subsequently, the five teenagers were indicted for the crime. However, they maintained their innocence throughout the investigation and trial.
Despite this, the group was charged “with the assault of the female jogger.” Additionally, the group was also charged with “other assaults and robberies that occurred in Central Park,” per NBC News. At the time, Trump reportedly took out an ad in the New York Times calling for their execution, per TMZ.
Per PEOPLE, each of the Central Park Five, or now “Exonerated Five,” spent between five to thirteen years in prison after being convicted. In 2002, the group was exonerated after DNA reportedly identified the rape suspect, per NBC News.
In 2014, the group reportedly sued New York City and won millions, per CNN.
