Trump Fails to Toss Defamation Case Filed by Exonerated Central Park Five
A federal judge has denied President Donald Trump’s attempt to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by the men formerly known as the Central Park Five, clearing the way for the case to move forward. The five men—Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise—were wrongfully convicted in 1989 and exonerated in 2002 after another man confessed to the brutal rape of a jogger in New York’s Central Park.
U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone issued the ruling Thursday night, rejecting Trump’s motion to dismiss the case in full, though she did toss one claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The Debate Moment That Sparked the Suit
The lawsuit stems from Trump’s remarks during the Sept. 10 presidential debate in Philadelphia against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. When Harris brought up the Central Park Five case, Trump responded with several falsehoods:
“They admitted, they said, they pled guilty… they badly hurt a person, killed a person ultimately.”
But none of that was true. The five men never pled guilty, were convicted at trial, and no victim died. Trump had originally taken out a full-page ad in 1989 calling for the death penalty’s return, a move widely interpreted as a push to execute the teenage suspects.
Plaintiffs Say Trump Knew the Truth and Lied Anyway
The men filed the defamation suit last fall, during Trump’s presidential campaign, arguing that he knowingly spread false and defamatory statements to mislead the public and discredit their exoneration.
“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.” Their lawyer, Shanin Specter, said.
The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, alleging Trump acted with intent to cause emotional harm and maintain a narrative that paints the men as guilty.
Trump’s Defense Falls Short
Trump’s legal team argued the former president was speaking on a “matter of public concern” and should be immune from civil liability under Pennsylvania law. They also claimed his comments were “substantially true” and reflected his thinking back in 1989.
But Judge Beetlestone disagreed, saying the case could proceed to discovery and trial.
A spokesperson for Trump’s campaign previously dismissed the lawsuit as a “frivolous election interference” effort. Trump’s legal team has yet to comment on the ruling.
A New Chapter in a Long Fight for Justice
The five men were teenagers when they were swept up in the racially charged 1989 case. After years in prison, their convictions were vacated in 2002 when DNA evidence and a confession from another man proved their innocence.
As Specter said at the time of filing, “Trump defamed them in front of 67 million people. Now they’re seeking to clear their names all over again.”
