The Central Park Five

Victims
Trisha Meili

Suspects
Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, and Korey Wise

Case Details
A 28-year-old investment banker was repeatedly raped, beaten, and left for death by a group of more
than a dozen teenagers who attacked her at the end of an escalating crime spree. She was left bleeding,
bound, almost nude and unconscious in a remote area of the park, where she was found by two joggers
at 1:30 am.

Based on information from victims of other assaults the group committed that same night the police
arrested five teenagers. These teenagers were originally charged for the assault of a 40-year-old man
but later they would be interrogated and eventually go on trial for charges of sexual abuse, attempted
murder, rape, assault, robbery, and riot. Four out of the five teens plead guilty in video tape, and despite
their inconsistent stories, no eyewitnesses, and no DNA evidence, they would all go and spend 6-13
years in prison.

However, in 2002, a convicted serial rapist and murderer who was already serving time confessed to be
the one who committed this attack. A DNA test on Matias Reyes was a positive match to the evidence
found at the crime scene. On December 19, 2002, a New York Supreme Court justice vacated the
convictions of the five men.

Evidence
For the original case there was no real evidence which was used, there were no eyewitnesses, the sperm
found at the crime scene did not match any of the accused, the only piece of evidence they had was the
confessions of four of the five teens, which they would later go out and say that they were coerced into
giving. And as far as evidence that proved Matias Reyes was guilty, a DNA test was performed which was
a positive match with the sperm that was found at the crime scene

Outcome
The five people who were originally are now free, while Matias Reyes now serves a 33-years-to-life
sentence

http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,397521,00.html

https://www.nydailynews.com/services/female-jogger-death-savage-attack-roving-gang-article-
1.1304506

https://www.history.com/topics/1980s/central-park-five