New York
The five teenagers convicted for the infamous 1989 “Central Park jogger” rape and beating didn’t commit the crime, a defense lawyer said last week. A man never charged in the case, convicted rapist Matias Reyes, came forward several months ago and said he alone raped the young female jogger, who was beaten and left in a coma. Prosecutors tested the semen left on the victim’s sock, and it matched Reyes’ DNA. Five black and Hispanic teenagers were convicted in the case, thanks mainly to graphic confessions of a “wilding” spree in the park. Michael Warren, a lawyer for three of the men, has now asked a judge to dismiss the convictions, although the men have already served their time. A law-enforcement official said Reyes’ DNA match exonerated no one. “It is unlikely that he was acting alone,” he said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
