Exonerated 5 file defamation lawsuit against former President Trump

The lawsuit stems from remarks Trump made during a presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.

Edric Robinson

Oct 21, 2024, 10:39 PM

Updated 22 days ago

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The Exonerated Five, formerly known as the Central Park Five, are suing former President Donald Trump for defamation.
The lawsuit stems from remarks Trump made during a presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
During the debate, Trump stated, “They admitted, they pled guilty. I said, 'Well, if they pled guilty, they hurt someone, killed someone.’” However, the lawsuit argues these statements are false, as none of the five men pleaded guilty, nor were any of the victims killed.
The Exonerated Five were wrongfully convicted in 1989 for the assault of a woman in Central Park. Their convictions were overturned in 2002 after another man confessed to the crime. Among the five men is current New York City Council Member Yusef Salaam, who, along with the others, has long criticized Trump for never apologizing after he ran a full-page newspaper ad calling for the death penalty for the teens at the time of their arrest.
This legal move follows Trump’s recent defamation lawsuit loss to writer E. Jean Carroll, who won $83.3 million in damages for sexual assault and defamation.
In response to the lawsuit, Trump’s campaign labeled it "frivolous" and a form of "Election Interference." Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, stated the lawsuit was an effort to distract from Kamala Harris’s campaign.
The lawsuit was filed just weeks before the Nov. 5 election, adding to the legal challenges Trump is currently facing.