President-elect Donald Trump has filed a motion urging a federal court to dismiss a defamation lawsuit linked to his controversial statements about the Central Park Five, a group of Black and Hispanic men exonerated in 2002 after being wrongly convicted in a 1989 assault case.
During his recent campaign, Trump falsely claimed during a debate that the men “killed a person and pleaded guilty,” remarks that the lawsuit alleges were defamatory and caused emotional harm. The plaintiffs, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron Brown, and Korey Wise, argue these statements perpetuate falsehoods and seek accountability for their impact.
Trump’s legal team contends that his remarks fall under the protections of the First Amendment, framing them as opinions on matters of public interest. In their court filing, they emphasized the constitutional safeguards for political speech, a position expected to be central to their defense.
Shanin Specter, the attorney representing the Central Park Five, dismissed Trump’s arguments as unconvincing. “We are prepared to take this case to trial,” Specter stated, highlighting the ongoing impact of Trump’s repeated mischaracterizations over the years.
This isn’t the first time Trump has faced criticism for his rhetoric about the case. Following the original assault, he famously purchased full-page ads in New York newspapers calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty, a move that drew national attention.
As the legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen how the courts will weigh the boundaries of free speech against the claims of reputational harm and emotional distress brought by the exonerated men.
