Analysis Of Central Park Five

Central Park Five is a documentary that revealed the stories of the five boys, now grown men, whose lives have been destroyed for really being in the wrong place at the right time. The documentary traces the lives of the five men—Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Kharey Wise, Raymond Santana, and Kevin Richardson, that were convicted and years later found not guilty of assault and rape of jogger Trisha Meili that occurred in 1989. Even though justice was eventually given to the five men, it did not return the adolescent years that ripped from them and mental torture they had endured from the city of New York, media, and police. The story of the case unfolds chronologically through the stories of the five teenage boys from before the investigation until their interviews in the film. Only four of the five exonerated teens are interviewed on camera, Antron McCray chose to participate with only a voiceover in the film. The police and New York City prosecutors and police chose not to take part or appear in the film in anyway. As viewer only the absence of any participation of New York City authorities only demonstrated lack of responsibility for the destruction of the lives of the five teenage boys.

Late in the evening on April 19, 1989, the Central Park precinct was buzzing with reports that a group of teenagers where reeking havoc in the park, beating up bicyclist and joggers. That night female jogger Trisha Meili was brutally assaulted and rapped. That night the five adolescent boys were tried and convicted and served the full sentences for their alleged crime. Their convictions were dismissed when in 2002 when a convicted rapist and murder of numerous crimes Matias Reyes confessed to the assault of Trisha Meili.

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... criminal record prior to the Central Park Case.

After watching this film it only reinforced the wariness I had towards law enforcement and authorities. The way they media and authorities mistreated these teenage boys was absolutely disgusting. The New York City policy department and prosecutor’s office has never even offered an apology for what they did to those boys is not commendable. The fraudulence of investigators and prosecutors who completely overlooked evidence in a rush to convict and then rejected to acknowledge the innocence of the five even after the true rapist confessed because their careers would be in jeopardy. There is a lot to be learned from this film. It compellingly criticizes law enforcement, the justice department and the news media, and in doing so it is a powerful answer to their wrongdoing in this discreditable case.

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