Why Trump refused to apologize of demanding execution for Central Park Five?

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The U.S President Donald Trump has refused to apologize for saying “The Central Park Five should be executed”, 17 years after they were exonerated with DNA evidence. On Tuesday, Trump was asked regarding the case in light of Ava DuVernay’s 4-part Netflix series about the 1989 case. A reporter asked him whether he would apologize to the 5 men. Trump said, “You have people on both sides of that. They admitted their guilt”. 5 black Latino teenagers including Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, and Korey Wise were convicted of attacking 28-years old white female jogger Trisha Meili. She was raped and beaten almost to death during a run in Central Park on 19 April, 1989.

It is noteworthy that authorities vacated their convictions in 2002 after convicted murderer and serial rapist Matias Reyes confessed to the attack and said he had committed it alone. DNA evidence backed up his confession. The City of New York settled a wrongful conviction lawsuit with the five men for $41 million in 2014. Trump spent an estimated $85,000 to take out four full-page ads in four New York City newspapers, proclaiming in bold letters during the case. “BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY. BRING BACK OUR POLICE! I want to hate these murderers and I always will. I am not looking to psychoanalyze or understand them I am looking to punish them”.

The 5-convicted men have said that their confessions were made as portrayed in DuVernay’s series, which premiered on Netflix in May and brought renewed attention to the case. Linda Fairstein headed sex crimes unit of Manhattan at the time and has long been criticized for her role in the suspects’ interrogation. Fairstein has stood by the investigation and maintained that the confessions of five were not forced. Fairstein has also criticized DuVernay’s series and her portrayal in the TV program.