32 years ago today (April 19, 1989), the lives of the Exonerated 5 were forever changed when they were arrested, convicted, and jailed for a crime they did not commit.
Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, and Antron McCray were just kids when they became known as the Central Park Five after they were accused of the brutal assault and rape of a Central Park jogger.
13 years later, serial rapist and murderer Matias Reyes confessed to committing the heinous crime and the convictions of the Central Park Five were vacated.
The story of the Exonerated 5 was told through Ava DuVernay‘s amazing award-winning limited series, “When They See Us.”
Raymond Santana took to social media on the 32nd anniversary writing:
April 19, 1989…I woke up..getting ready for school.. thinking about heading over to schomburg later on that night..I never thought my life would change..32 years later.. #wearestillhere to my brothers.. @koreykingwise @dr.yusefsalaam @kevrichardson77 #AntronMcCray. We are #Brothers No Matter What.. I will LOVE YOU GUYS FOREVER!! We are #THEEXONERATED5 continue to tell our truth..continue to stand tall…#thecentralpark5 #centralpark5 #cp5 #TheCentralPark5 #harlem #nyc #theExonerated5
Dr. Yusef Salaam added:
#PowerPost????????????????????????????????????????™️.
#Anniversary#CP5
#Today #32YearsLater
#ExoneratedFive ????????????????????????????????????????
Such an interesting and powerful time in our #healing. #Celebrating together after the Ken Burns documentary, we had gotten our voices back. With Ava DuVernay #WhenTheySeeUs we were #free.
#Blessed
#Grateful
#Thankful
#GodIsGood
#Memoir#Drop
#BetterNotBitter#May#2021
Kevin Richardson shared:
On this exact day 32 years ago, (WOW) my brothers Ray, Yu, Tron, Korey, and I lives changed forever. As a teenager I questioned GOD when we got arrested and trialed for this heinous crime!!!
I couldn’t quite Grasp why would the LORD do this to us when he knows of all people that we were innocent of this crime of the century…
It was not until much later in my Adult years that I realized GOD was using us to walk in his Path, to shed light on others, to raise awareness, to become the voice for the voiceless!!!
Sometimes you have to go through hell and more to rise from those ashes, and elevate to greatness ????????????????????????.What happened to us was devastating for my brothers and I as well as our families…
The Exonerated 5 have went from Devastation to Destiny 32 years later and counting ✊????✊????✊????✊????✊????#antronmccray @santanaraymond @dr.yusefsalaam @koreykingwise we still here my brothers, survival of the fittest ????????????????????????????????????????…
To my family I love your all unconditionally, of course your already know that ????????… To everyone that has been apart of our growth I sincerely and personally Thank you.
#exnoratedfive #westillhere#blessedbeyondmeasure #30plusyears
See their original posts below:
God Bless the Exonerated 5.
