Friday teenager charged in central park jogging case exonerated
The sixth man, who was was convicted along with five other black and Hispanic teenagers for the 1989 rape of a runner, whose conviction was dropped more than a decade later, was also convicted of a related crime that was unsealed Monday.
AP News report Steven Lopez was exonerated at the request of both Lopez’s attorney and prosecutor at a Manhattan trial.
Police arrested 15-year-old Lopez along with five other Black and Latino teenagers in the rape and assault of 28-year-old runner Trisha Meili. The teen had previously reached an agreement with prosecutors, pleading guilty to lesser charges. He and several others were accused of groping a male runner that same night. Lopez served more than three years behind bars before being released in the early 1990s.
Lopez, now 48, did not make a statement in court and left without speaking to reporters. His attorney, Eric Shapiro Renfroe, says his client is seeking privacy at this time.
Prosecutor concludes teenager’s confession was against the law
Trisha Meili was in a coma 12 days after the attack that led to the conviction of Lopez and five other children. Her assault happened one night when several other people were attacked by a group of young people in the park.
The five teenagers were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to 13 years. Their sentencing came in 2002 after evidence linked a convicted rapist and serial killer, Matias Reyes, to the assault. Reyes confessed to investigators that he alone was responsible for the attack on Meili.
During the hearing, the defense attorney told his client:
“I believe what has happened to you is a profound injustice and an American tragedy. … I’m happy to be here today with DA Bragg so we can give you your name back. “
Prosecutors in Lopez’s case concluded the teens’ confession, made after hours of questioning, was profoundly flawed. Prosecutors said Monday that claims involving Lopez in that night’s violence are also unreliable.
“Comparison of statements reveals disturbing discrepancies,” they wrote in court papers at the time. “The five defendants’ accounts vary on the specifics of almost every major aspect of the crime.”
Five other teenagers who were implicated in Lopez in the jogger attacks later withdrew their charges in their civil records. Central Park Five, now sometimes referred to as the “Exonerated Five,” went on to win a $40 million settlement from the city. Their stories have since been depicted in books, television and movies.
Lopez has not received a settlement,