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John,
Yesterday, hundreds of people braved the cold New York winter to celebrate the historic unveiling of the “Gate of the Exonerated” in Central Park.
Among those there to witness this moment were Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Kevin Richardson — three of the five teenagers wrongly convicted for a 1989 attack on a Central Park jogger. Three decades ago, the boys entered the park from this same gate, not knowing that their lives would be forever changed.
Take a moment right now to watch a recording of the event and learn more about the Exonerated Five.
Yusef Salaam (left), Raymond Santana (second from right), and Kevin Richardson (far right), three of the Exonerated Five, unveil the new 'Gate of the Exonerated' entrance in New York City's Central Park on Dec. 19, 2022, the 20th anniversary of their exoneration. (Image: Jeenah Moon/Innocence Project)
"[Coming back here] is a mix of emotions, but it’s the start of building something here. To have the Gate of the Exonerated here … it’s very powerful to be here and I’m still taking it in,” said Kevin at yesterday’s event, which took place on the 20th anniversary of their exoneration.
While the gate’s new moniker etched in sandstone is a sign of progress and a physical reminder to not let history repeat itself, New York still has work to do to prevent the kinds of injustices that happened to the Exonerated Five and hundreds of other New Yorkers from happening to more innocent people.
Although the Exonerated Five endured these injustices over three decades ago, New Yorkers have only a few more protections from wrongful conviction today than they did then. Here at the Innocence Project, we won’t stop fighting for a more just and equitable legal system — and we’re so glad to have you by our side.
In 2023, New York has the opportunity to ensure that its residents have access to true justice and are safeguarded against future wrongful convictions by ending deceptive interrogation practices, requiring the right to counsel for juveniles — at minimum — and building stronger pathways to true justice for wrongly convicted people through the Challenging Wrongful Conviction Act. And we hope you’ll join us next year in fighting for these changes.
Read more about yesterday’s event and the story of the Exonerated Five, share this historic moment with your friends and family online, and join us in supporting reforms across New York and the nation.
With gratitude,
The Innocence Project Team
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