Two years after New York Metropolis elected one of many 5 males whose wrongful convictions as teenagers gained nationwide consideration, a second member has determined to affix him in operating for workplace.
Raymond Santana, who was 14 when police arrested him and the opposite “Exonerated Five” members, introduced his grassroots marketing campaign for New York Metropolis Council’s District 8 on Tuesday. The 50-year-old activist stated he’s operating as a Democrat to symbolize the very neighborhoods he was born and raised in.
“Raymond knows what most New Yorkers know — that the current system isn’t working for communities like the South Bronx and East Harlem. And that’s why he’s running to represent his home on the New York City Council,” Santana’s marketing campaign web site says.
The candidate, based on the positioning, additionally plans to concentrate on reforming the felony justice system, rising entry to inexpensive housing and offering extra financial alternatives for marginalized communities.
Mary Altaffer through Related Press
Regardless of having lived primarily in Georgia since 2015 — the place he’s registered to vote — the candidate informed The New York Occasions that he had incessantly returned to New York Metropolis, each for household and for lobbying laws that may defend youth focused by police. He stated he solely moved again full-time to East Harlem final 12 months, based on the paper.
Santana informed NY1 that he has spoken to Salaam about his resolution to run. A spokesperson for Salaam’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to HuffPost’s request for remark, although the councilman informed the Occasions that “those who have been closest to the pain should have a seat at the table.”
Along with Salaam and Santana, New York police arrested Kevin Richardson, Korey Smart and Antron McCray in the 1989 rape and beating of a white feminine jogger in Central Park. All 5 teenage boys — gaining the title “Central Park Five” — had been convicted within the assault and served between 5 and 12 years in jail.
Robert Smith through Related Press
Santana initially served 5 years on the wrongful conviction earlier than getting 20 months added on for a parole violation. He additionally served 4 years on a separate drug cost.
The convictions had been overturned in 2002 after a man whose DNA proof linked him to the crime confessed to finishing up the assault alone. The prosecutors within the case had been later discovered to have used false confessions and inconclusive bodily proof within the trial in opposition to the boys.
The town agreed to a settlement that paid the wrongfully accused about $1 million for every year they had been incarcerated within the case. Now the 5 males are referred to as the Exonerated 5, with most of them utilizing their public place to push for justice reform.
Scott Applewhite through Related Press
The group filed a defamation go well with simply weeks earlier than Trump received the election final 12 months, accusing him of mendacity throughout a presidential debate that the 5 males killed an individual. 4 of the lads — together with Salaam and Santana — additionally spoke out in opposition to Trump final 12 months on the Democratic Nationwide Conference.
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“The wrongful convictions of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise are prime examples of the prejudice, inequality and structural racism that is ingrained in our nation’s criminal justice system,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) posted on X after their DNC speech.
Espaillat’s congressional district overlaps with the council district Santana’s operating for, although the progressive lawmaker didn’t instantly reply to HuffPost’s request for touch upon whether or not he would help the activist’s marketing campaign.
