Central Park 5 Members Reunite at DNC, Recall How Trump Called for Their Execution Over False Assault Allegations: '45 Wanted Us Unalive'

Mar. 15, 2025

Korey Wise (C), (L-R) Kevin Richardson, Dr. Yusef Salaam, Rev. Al Sharpton and Raymond Santana at the United Center on August 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.Photo:Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Members of the “Central Park Five" — now referred to as the “Exonerated 5” — addressed the2024 Democratic National Conventionin Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 22, in support of Vice PresidentKamala Harris’ presidential run.Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise,Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson and Antron McCray were wrongly convicted of rape and assault as teenagers in 1989.Salaam, 50, Wise, 52, Santana, 49, and Richardson, 49, appeared onstagealongside civil rights leaderRev. Al Sharptonduring the fourth and final night of the DNC. McCray, 50, was not in attendance.During their trial, Trump took out full-page ads in New York newspapers calling for the death penalty.“Thirty-five years ago, my friends and I were in prison for a crime we did not commit. Our youth was stolen from us,” Wise said on the stage. “Every day as we walked into courtrooms, people screamed at us, threatened us, because of Donald Trump."“Vice President Harris has also worked to make things fairer. I know she will do the same as president,” Wise added.“Forty-five wanted us unalive. He wanted us dead. Today, we are exonerated,” Salaam, who is now a New York City Council member, said of former presidentDonald Trump— who was the 45th president and is now Harris’ Republican White House challenger.“He has never changed, and he never will. That man thinks that hate is the animating force in America. It is not,” Salaam added.Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise, and Raymond Santana at Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 22, 2024.EVA HAMBACH/AFP via GettyOn April 19, 1989, around 1:30 a.m. in New York City’s Central Park, Patricia “Trisha” Meili was foundbarely aliveafter being beaten unconscious and sexually assaulted.The five teens were then arrested in the days after. Santana and Richardson were 14 years old, McCray and Salaam were 15 and Wise was 16 years old when they were taken into custody for Meili’s attack.After hours of interrogation at the Central Park Precinct on April 21, the boys, under duress, confessed to assaulting her. However, they recanted their admissions, stating they only confessed under the premise that they could go home afterward, and this ultimately led toone of the most famous miscarriages of justicein modern American history.From April 27–28, 1989, all five teens were indicted on counts including rape, assault, attempted murder and rioting. Each served five to 13 years in prison until convicted murdererMatias Reyes confessed, and DNA evidence set them free in 2002.US Vice President Kamala Harris during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Since the five men have been exonerated,Trump has refused to apologizeto the group for calling for their executions. During his first presidential runin October 2016, Trump reinforced his earlier position.Even while president, in June 2019, he was asked about the exonerated men and he repeated his stance that “They admitted their guilt.”

Members of the “Central Park Five” — now referred to as the “Exonerated 5” — addressed the2024 Democratic National Conventionin Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 22, in support of Vice PresidentKamala Harris’ presidential run.

Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise,Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson and Antron McCray were wrongly convicted of rape and assault as teenagers in 1989.Salaam, 50, Wise, 52, Santana, 49, and Richardson, 49, appeared onstagealongside civil rights leaderRev. Al Sharptonduring the fourth and final night of the DNC. McCray, 50, was not in attendance.

During their trial, Trump took out full-page ads in New York newspapers calling for the death penalty.

“Thirty-five years ago, my friends and I were in prison for a crime we did not commit. Our youth was stolen from us,” Wise said on the stage. “Every day as we walked into courtrooms, people screamed at us, threatened us, because of Donald Trump.”

“Vice President Harris has also worked to make things fairer. I know she will do the same as president,” Wise added.

“Forty-five wanted us unalive. He wanted us dead. Today, we are exonerated,” Salaam, who is now a New York City Council member, said of former presidentDonald Trump— who was the 45th president and is now Harris’ Republican White House challenger.

“He has never changed, and he never will. That man thinks that hate is the animating force in America. It is not,” Salaam added.

Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise, and Raymond Santana at Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 22, 2024.EVA HAMBACH/AFP via Getty

EVA HAMBACH/AFP via Getty

On April 19, 1989, around 1:30 a.m. in New York City’s Central Park, Patricia “Trisha” Meili was foundbarely aliveafter being beaten unconscious and sexually assaulted.

The five teens were then arrested in the days after. Santana and Richardson were 14 years old, McCray and Salaam were 15 and Wise was 16 years old when they were taken into custody for Meili’s attack.

After hours of interrogation at the Central Park Precinct on April 21, the boys, under duress, confessed to assaulting her. However, they recanted their admissions, stating they only confessed under the premise that they could go home afterward, and this ultimately led toone of the most famous miscarriages of justicein modern American history.

From April 27–28, 1989, all five teens were indicted on counts including rape, assault, attempted murder and rioting. Each served five to 13 years in prison until convicted murdererMatias Reyes confessed, and DNA evidence set them free in 2002.

US Vice President Kamala Harris during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg/Getty

Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Since the five men have been exonerated,Trump has refused to apologizeto the group for calling for their executions. During his first presidential runin October 2016, Trump reinforced his earlier position.

Even while president, in June 2019, he was asked about the exonerated men and he repeated his stance that “They admitted their guilt.”

source: people.com