How much money did the Central Park 5 each get? Settlement details explored

In the annals of American justice, the Central Park 5 case stands out as a glaring example of a system gone awry. In 1989, five Black and Hispanic teens—Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, and Korey Wise—were wrongly accused of assaulting a jogger in New York City's Central Park.

The aftermath of this miscarriage of justice, rife with coerced confessions and societal prejudices, led to their imprisonment before DNA evidence vindicated them in 2002. Beyond exoneration, a pivotal chapter in their saga unfolded in 2014 with a landmark $41 million settlement from the city. This article delves into the intricacies of the settlement, exploring the division of funds among the wrongfully accused, providing a concise summary of the case, and unveiling the actual killer's identity.

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Central Park 5 settlement split

The Central Park 5 at an event (Image via People)

The $41 million settlement, ordered by a federal court in September 2014, was a significant breakthrough in the long-running legal dispute between the Central Park 5 and the City of New York.

Anton McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Yusef Salaam each received $7,125,000, while Korey Wise received $12,250,000. The settlement stipulated that each defendant would be given about $1 million for each year of unjust incarceration.

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Central Park 5 case summary

The night of April 19, 1989, forever altered the lives of five young men. A cruel assault on a jogger occurred against the backdrop of New York City's Central Park, resulting in a series of unjust arrests and convictions. Patricia "Trisha" Meili, the jogger, became the focus of a case that would highlight faults in the criminal justice system.

14-year-olds Raymond Santana and Kevin Richardson, 15-year-olds Antron McCray and Yusef Salaam, and 16-year-old Korey Wise were among the teens accused and subsequently convicted.

Kevin Richardson during the time of the trial (Image via People)

Under intense police pressure and duress, these young individuals confessed to crimes they did not commit. The media frenzy and societal prejudices of the time worsened their plight. The case gained infamy as the ‘Central Park 5,’ a label etched into the nation's consciousness.

It wasn't until 2002, when DNA evidence definitively proved their innocence, that the five men were exonerated. In December 2002, their exoneration became official after the true perpetrator was definitively identified. Subsequently, in 2003, they initiated a lawsuit against the city for wrongful conviction, culminating in a settlement granted in 2014.

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Who was the real killer in Central Park 5

The exoneration of the five men raised a crucial question: Who was the real killer in the Central Park jogger case? The answer came in the form of Matias Reyes, a convicted serial rapist serving a life sentence for other crimes. In a shocking revelation, Reyes confessed to the assault on Trisha Meili in 2002, and subsequent DNA testing confirmed his involvement.

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The Netflix series about the Central Park 5

When They See Us is a Netflix original criminal drama television miniseries produced and directed by Ava DuVernay. The four-part series, which premiered on May 31, 2019, features an ensemble cast that includes notable actors, such as Jharrel Jerome, Asante Blackk, Michael K. Williams, Vera Farmiga, and others.

The series received widespread praise, earning 11 nominations at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards and winning in several categories, including Outstanding Lead Actor for Jharrel Jerome and Best Limited Series.

A special titled Oprah Winfrey Presents When They See Us Now premiered on June 12, 2019, on Netflix and the Oprah Winfrey Network, the companion special features interviews with the cast, creator Ava DuVernay, and the real-life Central Park 5 members, providing additional insights into the making of the series and the experiences of those involved in the high-profile case.