A federal judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump must face a defamation lawsuit filed by the Central Park Five—five Black and Hispanic men who were wrongfully convicted in a 1989 rape case that shocked New York City.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone said the men presented enough evidence to move forward with their lawsuit, which accuses Trump of making false and harmful statements during his 2024 presidential campaign. While the judge dismissed the plaintiffs’ claim of intentional emotional distress, the central defamation claim remains intact.
The lawsuit was filed last October by Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, and Korey Wise. Known collectively as the Central Park Five, the men are seeking monetary compensation for damage to their reputations and emotional harm, as well as punitive damages.
“We welcome the judge’s ruling,” said Shanin Specter, the lead attorney representing the five men. “We look forward to the discovery process, trial, and ultimately clearing the names of these five fine men.”
Trump’s legal team, however, rejected the claims. Karin Sweigart, an attorney for Trump, said the lawsuit is “unfounded and meritless” and argued that the dismissal of part of the case was a win for the former president. The White House declined to comment.
The case centers around remarks Trump made during a September 10, 2024, presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris. According to the lawsuit, Trump falsely claimed the five men “killed someone” and had “pleaded guilty”—both statements that are not true.
In fact, the five were exonerated in 2002 after another man confessed to the crime and new DNA evidence cleared them. None of the five ever pleaded guilty; they originally confessed under police pressure but later recanted their statements.
The lawsuit accuses Trump of spreading “demonstrably false” information that harmed their reputations and portrayed them in a “false light.”
Trump’s lawyers argued that his comments were protected under the First Amendment as opinions. But Judge Beetlestone disagreed, stating that his claims could be seen as statements of fact—statements that can be proven true or false.
This is not Trump’s first controversy involving the Central Park Five. In 1989, shortly after the attack, he paid for full-page ads in several New York newspapers calling for the return of the death penalty. His stance has continued to draw criticism, especially since the men’s exoneration.
The lawsuit now moves forward to the next stage, where evidence will be gathered and reviewed before trial.
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