US Election: Central Park Five sue Trump over false ‘pled guilty’ statements in debate

Five men, famously known as the 'Central Park Five' who were wrongfully convicted of raping a jogger in New York city's Central Park 30 years ago, have filed a defamation lawsuit against former US President Donald Trump. The lawsuit stems from statements Trump made during a televised debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on September 10.

The Central Park Five, who were teenagers at the time of their convictions, claim they were coerced into making false confessions. Although they were exonerated years later, the group points to Trump’s false remarks regarding their case, particularly his statement during the debate, where he claimed the men had "pled guilty".

In response to Harris’s criticism during the debate, in which she referenced Trump's 1989 call for the return of the death penalty in the aftermath of the attack, Trump incorrectly stated that the five men had admitted guilt and harmed or killed someone. However, the lawsuit argues that Trump’s statements were “false”, noting that none of the men had pled guilty to any crime and that the victim of the Central Park assault is not killed.

The lawsuit noted that just 11 days after the Central Park attack, Trump placed a full-page ad in four New York City newspapers urging the reinstatement of the death penalty.

"A lot of people including Mayor Bloomberg agreed with me on the Central Park Five," Trump said, mistakenly referencing former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg instead of Ed Koch, who was the mayor at that time.

The five men, who were exonerated in 2002, are seeking damages, though no specific amount has been requested. Instead, they are asking for a trial to determine the extent of compensation.