HARRISBURG, Pa. – A federal judge has refused to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought against President Donald Trump by the group of men formerly known as the Central Park Five. These men were exonerated after serving over a decade in prison for the 1989 rape and beating of a female jogger.
U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone in Philadelphia issued a brief order Thursday night, denying Trump's motion to dismiss the case.
The lawsuit was filed by the five men during last fall's presidential election campaign. They allege that Trump made "false and defamatory statements" about them during a Sept. 10 debate in Philadelphia with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
During the debate, Trump made inaccurate claims about the case after Harris brought it up. He stated, "They admitted, they said, they pled guilty. And I said, 'well, if they pled guilty they badly hurt a person, killed a person ultimately. And if they pled guilty - then they pled we’re not guilty,'"
The men – Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise – were never guilty. They were convicted after jury trials. Also, the victim did not die.
Shanin Specter, the men's lawyer, released a statement expressing gratitude for the Court's ruling and thorough analysis. He added that he is looking forward to discovery, trial, and the ultimate vindication of these five men.
Trump's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
The men are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, arguing that Trump knowingly defamed them, made false statements about them, and intentionally sought to cause them severe emotional distress.
Judge Beetlestone's order did dismiss one of the claims, specifically the claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Trump's lawyer had argued that the president's statements were protected under Pennsylvania laws granting civil immunity for statements made on matters of public concern.
The motion to dismiss also asserted that Trump's statements were "substantially true," that he did not dispute the men's exoneration, and that he intended to represent his mindset in 1989. At that time, following the men's confessions, Trump had purchased a full-page ad in The New York Times calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty.
Many in New York at the time viewed Trump's ad as a call for the teens' execution.
The five men were teenagers when they were accused of the rape and beating in Central Park. The men, who are Black and Latino, stated that their confessions were coerced. They later recanted, pleaded not guilty in court, and were subsequently convicted after jury trials. Their convictions were overturned in 2002 after another individual confessed to the crime.
When the lawsuit was initially filed, Specter stated that Trump had defamed the men in front of 67 million people, forcing them to clear their names once again.
A Trump campaign spokesperson dismissed the lawsuit as a "frivolous election interference lawsuit" at the time.