The Central Park Five, exonerated decades ago for a crime they did not commit, have formally rebuked Donald Trump’s attempt to dismiss their defamation lawsuit. Their November 22 legal response asserts that Trump’s remarks during a September 2024 presidential debate were defamatory and blatantly false, reigniting a controversy rooted in one of New York’s most infamous cases.

A Battle Over Debate Claims

The lawsuit, filed in Pennsylvania federal court, stems from Trump’s statements during an ABC News presidential debate, where he alleged the five men “killed a person” and “pled guilty” to charges stemming from the 1989 assault of a jogger in Central Park. Attorneys for Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise argue Trump’s comments were “fabricated from whole cloth,” highlighting their full exoneration in 2002.

The case traces back to 1989, when Trump famously took out a full-page ad in major New York newspapers calling for the death penalty to be reinstated for the teenagers accused in the case. The men were later exonerated after DNA evidence implicated another individual, and New York City settled with them for $40 million in 2014.

Legal Arguments

The Central Park Five’s attorneys emphasized the distinction between coerced confessions and guilty pleas, pointing out that their clients were teenagers without legal counsel at the time of their interrogations. “Accuracy is critical when accusing individuals of serious crimes,” their filing asserts. Under Pennsylvania law, the lawyers argue, statements can be deemed defamatory if they can be “objectively determined” as true or false—Trump’s claims, they note, fail this test.

The lawsuit also accuses Trump of intentionally inflicting emotional distress and portraying the men in a false light, describing his remarks as part of a “public vendetta” that is “intolerable in a civilized society.”

Trump’s legal team, led by Karin Sweigart, dismissed the lawsuit as “meritless,” claiming his debate statements were “non-actionable opinion.” However, the plaintiffs countered that Trump’s statements were presented as fact, not opinion, and could be verified as false.

Trump’s Contentious History with the Case

This latest legal clash underscores Trump’s long-standing role in the Central Park Five saga. In addition to his controversial newspaper ads, he has repeatedly refused to apologize for his past statements, even after their exoneration. The lawsuit has reignited public debate over Trump’s handling of the case and its implications for racial and social justice.

Social Media Reacts

The lawsuit sparked heated reactions online, with netizens sharing diverse views:

• @JusticeForFive: “Decades later, Trump still can’t admit he was wrong. It’s time for accountability.”
• @TruthAndOrder: “This lawsuit is about setting the record straight. Innocent until proven guilty matters!”
• @MAGARealist: “More baseless lawsuits against Trump. The left won’t stop until they’ve drained him dry.”
• @NYCStrong89: “Imagine being a teenager coerced into false confessions and still fighting for justice decades later.”
• @LegalEagle22: “Trump’s team better have a solid defense. This isn’t just opinion; facts are facts.”
• @WalkInTheirShoes: “The Central Park Five deserve peace. Trump’s comments were inflammatory and harmful.”

What’s Next?

Judge Wendy Beetlestone, recently assigned to the case after Trump’s attorneys sought the previous judge’s recusal, will preside over a pre-motion to dismiss hearing scheduled for December 5, 2024. This session will determine whether the lawsuit proceeds.