Exonerated Member of “Central Park Five” Leads New York City Council Primary

Yusef Salaam, who was wrongfully accused, convicted, and imprisoned as a child in the infamous Central Park jogger case, has emerged as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for a New York City Council seat. In a closely contested race representing part of Harlem, Salaam faces seasoned politicians, Al Taylor and Inez Dickens, both New York Assembly members. The incumbent, democratic socialist Kristin Richard Jordan, withdrew from the race in May but remains on the ballot.

Decades after Salaam and four other individuals, collectively known as the Central Park Five, were exonerated by DNA evidence in a racially charged crime, this pivotal contest is unfolding. It symbolizes a remarkable turn of events for Salaam, who endured a wrongful conviction and imprisonment. The outcome of the election remains uncertain, as New York employs a ranked choice voting system that may delay the declaration of a winner until all ballots are counted.

As of the initial tally, Salaam had a narrow lead with just under 51% of the vote, while Dickens trailed significantly in second place. While the final result hangs in the balance, Salaam expressed confidence and gratitude to his supporters in a late Tuesday speech, proclaiming victory. His past experience of being unjustly incarcerated has shaped his perspective on the flaws within the criminal justice system, and he considers it an opportunity to bring about positive change.

Though Dickens conceded defeat, she vowed to persist in fighting for the needs of her community. If Salaam secures victory in the primary, his success would likely translate into a general election win, given the district’s inclination to elect Democratic representatives. Notably, this marks Salaam’s first foray into seeking public office.

While all candidates emphasized issues such as affordable housing, gentrification control, and poverty alleviation in Harlem, Salaam leveraged his celebrity status in neighborhoods that view the Central Park Five, also known as the Exonerated Five, as enduring symbols of the injustices faced by the district’s predominantly Black and Latino population.

Salaam, who was arrested at the age of 15 in 1989 along with four other Black and brown teenagers—Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise—on charges of assaulting and raping a woman in Central Park, spent between five and 12 years behind bars before the case was reexamined. Subsequently, DNA evidence and a confession linked the crime to a serial rapist and murderer. In 2002, their convictions were vacated, and the city later reached a $41 million settlement with the wrongfully convicted men.

Reflecting on his journey and the impact of his story, Salaam expressed how it resonates with people and allows him to utilize his platform to transform pain into meaningful assistance during times of adversity.

New York City’s ranked choice voting system enables voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Given the intricacy of this process, predicting the winner has become a challenge. If a candidate receives over 50% of first-choice votes, they win outright. Otherwise, ranked choice voting comes into play, where the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the voters’ second choices.

The full analysis can only be conducted once all absentee ballots have been received, which is expected to take approximately one week.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Exonerated

More about Exonerated

• Central Park Five – Innocence Project
• Yusef Salaam – Biography
• New York City Council – Official Website
• Ranked Choice Voting – NYC Board of Elections
• Affordable Housing – NYC Housing Preservation & Development
• Gentrification – Urban Institute
• Criminal Justice Reform – Brennan Center for Justice