- It has been 20 years since the brutal rape of a White female jogger in New York City's Central Park. But supporters of five young Black and Latino men wrongly convicted and jailed for the crime, say it is time to close a chapter that still stains the racial fabric of the city.
Community activist Alton H. Maddox Jr. called an April 20 press conference to demand that the city stop procrastinating and pay Raymond Santana, Khary Wise, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson and Yusuf Salaam compensation for false arrest and imprisonment.
The men are asking for $50 million each for serving six to 14 years. Mr. Wise served the 14-year term.
On April 22, Brooklyn City Councilman Charles Barron introduced a resolution calling for the city to compensate the men immediately and forego a lengthy civil proceeding.
Mr. Barron told reporters the families of the men have suffered extreme trauma, stress and economic hardship. He stressed to the media how the Central Park 5 were subjected to a 28-hour interrogation, deprived of sleep, denied food and kept from family members.
The NYPD “used terrorist tactics” to gain false admissions of guilt, which later were proved to be untrue, Mr. Barron said.
Atty. Roger Wareham, who is presently arguing with the city over the pending litigation, said a civil lawsuit will show the “diabolical” behavior of NYPD detectives.
“We have been nearly six years in court with the city, and they continue to drag their feet,” said Mr. Wareham, who is part of the legal team representing Mr. Richardson, Mr. Santana and Mr. McCray. “The city is just stretching the process out, so, now we need a big push from the community,” Mr. Wareham told The Final Call.
Sharron Salaam, Yusef Salaam's mother, participated in the demonstration led by Mr. Maddox. She told The Final Call the fateful night of April 19, 1989 was a “life-altering experience,” a “shocking experience.”
Community activist Alton H. Maddox Jr. called an April 20 press conference to demand that the city stop procrastinating and pay Raymond Santana, Khary Wise, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson and Yusuf Salaam compensation for false arrest and imprisonment.
The men are asking for $50 million each for serving six to 14 years. Mr. Wise served the 14-year term.
On April 22, Brooklyn City Councilman Charles Barron introduced a resolution calling for the city to compensate the men immediately and forego a lengthy civil proceeding.
Mr. Barron told reporters the families of the men have suffered extreme trauma, stress and economic hardship. He stressed to the media how the Central Park 5 were subjected to a 28-hour interrogation, deprived of sleep, denied food and kept from family members.
The NYPD “used terrorist tactics” to gain false admissions of guilt, which later were proved to be untrue, Mr. Barron said.
Atty. Roger Wareham, who is presently arguing with the city over the pending litigation, said a civil lawsuit will show the “diabolical” behavior of NYPD detectives.
“We have been nearly six years in court with the city, and they continue to drag their feet,” said Mr. Wareham, who is part of the legal team representing Mr. Richardson, Mr. Santana and Mr. McCray. “The city is just stretching the process out, so, now we need a big push from the community,” Mr. Wareham told The Final Call.
Sharron Salaam, Yusef Salaam's mother, participated in the demonstration led by Mr. Maddox. She told The Final Call the fateful night of April 19, 1989 was a “life-altering experience,” a “shocking experience.”
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