The 1989 Attack and Initial Convictions
In April 1989, a female investment banker was brutally assaulted and raped while jogging in Central Park. Five teenagers, later known as the Central Park Five, were wrongfully convicted of the crime based on coerced confessions and flawed evidence.
Exoneration and the Real Attacker
The convictions were vacated in 2002 after DNA evidence pointed to another man, Matias Reyes, who confessed as the sole attacker. The five exonerees spent between 6 and 13 years in prison before being cleared.
Aftermath and Civil Settlement
The exonerees sued New York City and won a $41 million settlement in 2014. They have since become advocates for criminal justice reform. The case remains a landmark example of wrongful conviction and systemic investigative failures.
For detailed court documents and timeline, see the official NYC Commission on Human Rights Central Park Five page.
