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NewsWorldAmericas

Trump refuses to apologise for demanding Central Park Five be executed: 'They admitted their guilt'

In 2014, the City of New York settled a wrongful conviction lawsuit with the five men for $41m

Clémence Michallon
New York
Tuesday 18 June 2019 22:49

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Donald Trump refuses to apologise for demanding Central Park Five be executed: 'They admitted their guilt'

Donald Trump has refused to apologise for saying the Central Park Five should be executed, 17 years after they were exonerated with DNA evidence.

The president was asked about the case on Tuesday, in light of Ava DuVernay’s four-part Netflix series about the 1989 case.

“You have people on both sides of that. They admitted their guilt,” Mr Trump said after a reporter asked him whether he would apologise to the five men.

Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise, five black and Latino teenagers, were convicted of attacking 28-year-old white female jogger Trisha Meili, who was raped and beaten almost to death during a run in Central Park on 19 April, 1989.

Authorities vacated their convictions in 2002, after convicted murderer and serial rapist Matias Reyes confessed to the attack and said he had committed it alone. DNA evidence backed up his confession.

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

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1/30Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Members of the Proud Boys, a fascist group, jeer at anti-Trump protesters outside of the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

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Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A supporter dressed as Uncle Sam poses at Uncle Sam

Reuters

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A baby blimp rears its head amidst a group of anti-Trump protesters outside the president't campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

President Trump addresses supporters at the launch event of his 2020 election campaign in Orlando, Florida

Reuters

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Proud Boys have adopted Fred Perry polo shirts as their uniform and many members have the name of the group tattooed on their arms

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A line of police officers separate opposing groups of protesters outside the launch of President Trump's 2020 campaign launch

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A protester hits a Trump punching bag during a protest outside Trump's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Twin Trump supporters pose for a photo at the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Reuters

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A protester dressed as a caricature of Donald Trump stands outside the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

AP

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A Trump supporter faces off against a protester outside the president's campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

AFP/Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A Proud Boy shouts across the police line at anti-Trump protesters outside the president's campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A Trump supporter poses for a photo at the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Reuters

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A Proud Boy jeers at anti-Trump protesters who are separated from the president's supporters by a police line outside the president's campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A man dressed as Uncle Sam poses at President Trump's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Reuters

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

An anti-Trump protester faces off against a supporter outside the president's campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

AFP/Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Members of the Proud Boys, a fascist group, jeer at anti-Trump protesters outside of the president's 2020 campaign launch

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A child holds a 2020 US "dollar bill" that features Donald Trump's face at the president's 2020 campaign launch

EPA

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Anti-Trump protesters rally outside the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

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Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Anti-Trump protesters rally outside the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Numerous baby Trump balloons are raised in protests outside of the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

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Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A supporter wears a T-shirt depicting Trump as a hero at the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Reuters

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

President Trump addresses supporters at the launch event of his 2020 election campaign in the Amway Centre in Orlando, Florida

AFP/Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

An anti-Trump protester calls for the president to be impeached outside the launch event for his 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

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Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Supporters of Donald Trump face off against protesters outside of the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

AP

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A baby blimp rises behind a group of anti-Trump protesters outside the president's campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

AP

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A supporter dressed as Uncle Sam poses at President Trump's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

AP

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A member of the Proud Boys, a fascist group, holds a sign up outside of the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

AFP/Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

A supporter bears a Trump flag at the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Reuters

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

Protesters hold baby Trump balloons in the rally outside of the president's 2020 campaign launch in Orlando, Florida

Getty

Trump 2020 launch: Fascist Proud Boys, baby blimps and Uncle Sam

An anti-Trump protester holds a sign accusing the president of being a traitor

Getty

In 2014, the City of New York settled a wrongful conviction lawsuit with the five men for $41m.

During the case, Mr Trump spent an estimated $85,000 to take out four full-page ads in four New York City newspapers, proclaiming in bold letters: “BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY. BRING BACK OUR POLICE!”

“I want to hate these murderers and I always will,” the ad reads in part. ”I am not looking to psychoanalyse or understand them, I am looking to punish them.”

The five convicted men have said their confessions were coerced, as portrayed in DuVernay’s series, which premiered on Netflix in May and brought renewed attention to the case.

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Linda Fairstein, who headed Manhattan’s sex crimes unit at the time, has long been criticised for her role in the suspects’ interrogation.

Fairstein has stood by the investigation and maintained that the men’s confessions were not forced. Fairstein has also criticised DuVernay’s series and her portrayal in the TV programme.

On Tuesday, Mr Trump referenced Fairstein.

Fallout from the Netflix show has led to the former New York City prosecutor, who is also an author, being dropped by her book publisher, Dutton.

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Fairstein also resigned as a Board of Trustees member at Vassar College and from the victims-services agency, Safe Horizon.

Additional reporting from agencies

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1/1Trump refuses to apologise to Central Park Five

Trump refuses to apologise to Central Park Five

In 2014, the City of New York settled a wrongful conviction lawsuit with the five men for $41m

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