The Exonerated Five, the group of wrongfully convicted men can proceed with their defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump after a federal judge's ruling. Image: Baller News.
(The Post News)– U.S. President Donald Trump will have to face a defamation lawsuit brought by the five men once known as the Central Park Five, after a federal judge in Philadelphia rejected his motion to dismiss the case.
The case stems from remarks Trump made during a September 10, 2024 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. At one point, Harris mentioned the men’s wrongful convictions, prompting Trump to say, “They admitted, they said they pled guilty. They killed a person ultimately.” The problem? None of that is true. The jogger who was assaulted in Central Park in 1989 survived, and none of the men ever pleaded guilty to the crime.
The five men were teenagers when they were arrested, interrogated, and later convicted of the assault and rape of a white woman jogging in Central Park. Their convictions were overturned in 2002 after DNA evidence and a confession from another man, Matias Reyes, confirmed their innocence. All five had served between six and 13 years behind bars. Their attorney, Shanin Specter, said the court’s decision marks a significant step forward. “We are gratified by the court’s ruling and thorough analysis and look forward to discovery, trial and the ultimate vindication of these five fine men,” Specter said in a statement.
The suit, filed last October in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, accuses Trump of knowingly making false statements that caused reputational and emotional harm. They’re seeking both compensatory and punitive damages. Trump’s lawyer, Karin Sweigart, described the lawsuit as “unfounded and meritless,” and pointed to the judge’s dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress as a partial win. She said Trump’s remarks were protected under the First Amendment and framed them as opinions about a decades-old event of public concern.
Back in 1989, Trump had taken out a full-page ad in The New York Times calling for the death penalty after the arrests. Many saw the ad as a call to execute the five teens. Now, decades later, Trump’s words continue to follow the men; three of whom have remained largely out of the public eye, while Salaam, now a New York City Council member, has become an outspoken voice on criminal justice reform. The case now moves to the discovery phase, setting the stage for a potential trial.
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