A judge tossed the conviction of Steven Lopez, who was arrested with five other Black and Latino teenagers in the 1989 attack on Trisha Meili.
Central Park Five codefendant Steven Lopez’s indictment dismissed
25 jul. 2022
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Dutch
English
Sixth “forgotten” member of Central Park Five acquitted after 33 years for raping jogger
- In the United States, the Supreme Court has acquitted Steven Lopez, who was convicted with the notorious ‘Central Park Five’ for the rape of jogger Trisha Mill, after 33 years. The 23-year-old jogger was raped and murdered in Manhattan’s Central Park in 1989. Steven Lopez was arrested and convicted along with five other suspects, all black or Latino youths later known as the ‘Central Park Five’. Lopez was unjustly imprisoned for more than three years.
- What exactly happened in 1989?
The ‘Central Park jogger case’ was a court case in the United States in 1989 about the assault and rape of 23-year-old jogger Trisha Meili. It happened in Central Park in Manhattan. On the same evening, some unrelated disturbances took place elsewhere in the park. Five black and Latino youths who were involved in the riots were also convicted of the assault and rape of the woman. They were imprisoned for 6 to 15 years. They came to be known as the ‘Central Park Five’.
In 2002, DNA testing revealed that it was not the boys who raped and assaulted the woman, but a convicted serial rapist and murderer. The boys’ conviction turned out to be the result of a biased and racist legal system, in which the youths were forced to make a false confession. The verdict was eventually overturned. The victims received compensation of EUR 41 million. The case caused a wave of disappointment across the country and inspired books, films and the popular Netflix series ‘When They See Us’.
The conviction of Steven Lopez, who like the Central Park Five was suspected of attacking and raping the 23-year-old jogger, was overturned on Monday. Lopez was 15 when he was arrested for the brutal attack on Trisha Meili. Although people always talk about the ‘Central Park Five’, 6 youths were convicted that night. However, Lopez was always forgotten by the general public.
The police authorities threatened to charge him with the rape and robbery of Trisha Mill. In exchange for a reduced sentence, he was forced to accept a deal in which he pleaded guilty to “only” robbing the woman.
- Forced false statement
Steven Lopez, 15, spent 20 hours in a cell before he could be questioned. His parents were allowed to attend the interrogation, but hardly spoke English. After more than two hours, the father and Steven Lopez were presented with a statement that they signed without being aware of it. The statement said that Lopez was present at the place where the jogger was attacked.
Lopez spent over three years in prison. He was released, but his name was, until yesterday, never cleared. “Steven Lopez was convicted and pleaded guilty after false testimony, unreliable forensic information and tremendous external pressure,” New York County Prosecutor David Bragg stated during the hearing last Monday. According to Bragg, there was no evidence linking Lopez to any of the charges.
- 33 years later…
The acquittal comes 33 years after Lopez was arrested for the acts and 20 years after the other members of the ‘Central Park Five’ were found innocent. Steven Lopez, now 48, has never addressed the allegations of his involvement in the rape of the young woman.
Dutch
Zesde “vergeten” lid Central Park Five na 33 jaar vrijgesproken voor verkrachting jogster
In de Verenigde Staten heeft het hooggerechtshof Steven Lopez, die samen met de beruchte ‘Central Park Five’ veroordeeld werd voor de verkrachting van de jogster Trisha Mill, na 33 jaar vrijgesproken. De 23-jarige jogster werd in 1989 verkracht en vermoord in het Manhattan Central Park. Steven Lopez werd samen met vijf andere verdachten, allen zwarte of latinojongeren die later bekendstonden als de ‘Central Park Five’, opgepakt en veroordeeld. Lopez zat ruim drie jaar onterecht in de gevangenis.
Wat is er in 1989 precies gebeurd?
De ‘Central Park jogger case’ was in 1989 een gerechtelijke zaak in de Verenigde Staten over de overval en verkrachting van de 23-jarige jogster Trisha Meili. Dat gebeurde in het Central Park in Manhattan. Op dezelfde avond vonden er elders in dat park enkele ongerelateerde opstootjes plaats. Vijf zwarte en latinojongeren die betrokken waren bij die opstootjes, werden ook veroordeeld voor de overval en de verkrachting op de vrouw. Ze zaten daarvoor 6 tot 15 jaar in de gevangenis. Ze kwamen bekend te staan als de ‘Central Park Five’.
In 2002 bleek na een DNA-onderzoek dat het niet de jongens waren die de vrouw verkracht en overvallen hadden, maar een veroordeelde serieverkrachter en -moordenaar. De veroordeling van de jongens bleek het gevolg van een bevooroordeeld en racistisch rechtssysteem, waarbij de jongeren gedwongen werden om een valse bekentenis af te leggen. Het vonnis werd uiteindelijk vernietigd. De slachtoffers kregen een schadevergoeding van 41 miljoen euro. De zaak veroorzaakte een golf van teleurstelling over het hele land en was de inspiratiebron voor boeken, films en voor de populaire Netflixreeks ‘When They See Us’.
De veroordeling van Steven Lopez, die net als de Central Park Five verdacht werd van de aanval op en de verkrachting van de 23-jarige jogster, werd afgelopen maandag ongedaan gemaakt. Lopez was 15 jaar toen hij opgepakt werd voor de brutale aanval op Trisha Meili. Hoewel men steeds spreekt van de ‘Central Park Five’, werden er die avond 6 jongeren veroordeeld. Lopez werd echter altijd vergeten door het grote publiek.
De politiediensten dreigden hem aan te klagen voor de verkrachting en de beroving van Trisha Mill. In ruil voor strafvermindering werd hij gedwongen een deal te aanvaarden waarin hij schuldig pleitte voor “slechts” de beroving van de vrouw.Gedwongen valse verklaring
De 15-jarige Steven Lopez bracht 20 uur door in een cel vooraleer hij ondervraagd kon worden. Zijn ouders mochten de ondervraging bijwonen, maar spraken nauwelijks Engels. Na ruim twee uur kregen de vader en Steven Lopez een verklaring voorgeschoteld die ze onwetend ondertekenden. In de verklaring stond dat Lopez aanwezig was op de plaats waar de jogster aangevallen werd.
Lopez bracht ruim drie jaar door in de gevangenis. Hij werd vrijgelaten, maar zijn naam werd, tot gisteren, nooit gezuiverd. “Steven Lopez werd veroordeeld en pleitte schuldig na een valse verklaring, onbetrouwbare forensische informatie en een enorme externe druk”, verklaarde David Bragg, Openbaar aanklager van New York County, tijdens de hoorzitting afgelopen maandag. Volgens Bragg was er geen bewijsmateriaal dat Lopez aan één van de aanklachten kon linken.33 jaar later…
De vrijspraak komt er 33 jaar nadat Lopez opgepakt werd voor de feiten en 20 jaar nadat de andere leden van de ‘Central Park Five’ onschuldig werden bevonden. Steven Lopez, nu 48, is nooit ingegaan op de beschuldigingen van zijn betrokkenheid bij de verkrachting van de jonge vrouw.
D.A. Bragg Moves to Vacate Steven Lopez’s Conviction in Central Park Jogger Case
2 aug. 2022
6th person in Central Park Five case has conviction overturned
26 jul. 2022
Steven Lopez, sixth member of Central Park Five, is exonerated | New York Post
26 jul. 2022
6th teen who pleaded guilty in 1989 Central Park jogger case exonerated | ABCNL
SIXTH Teenager in Central Park 5 Case Is Finally Exonerated | NBC New York
26 jul. 2022
Co-defendant in Central Park jogger case exonerated
30 jul. 2022
(25 Jul 2022)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
POOL
New York 25 July 2022
1. Close-up of Steven Lopez
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Shapiro Renfroe, Steven Lopez’s attorney:
“But I mostly want to talk to Steve. I believe what happened to you was a profound injustice and an American tragedy. I wasn’t alive when you were arrested, but it is truly painful to see how the system failed you, to see how this city and this nation vilified you when you were just a kid. And worse, you were innocent.”
3. Close of Lopez
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Judge Ellen Biben, New York County Supreme Court AND Seven Lopez, wrongfully convicted: ++PARTIALLY OFF-CAMERA++
BIBEN: “It cannot be said that Mr. Lopez’s guilty plea was predicated on a voluntary and intelligent waiver of his constitutional protections as our Constitution, criminal procedure law, and justice require. As such, the court grants the party’s applicaiton for vacator of judgement and of conviction under CPL-440-10 sub 1. And in addition, the record further establishes that the people would not be able to sustain their burden at trial, and therefore the indictment against Mr. Lopez is now dismissed.”
LOPEZ: “Thank you.”
BIBEN: At this time, I’m signing the order vacating the judgement of conviction and dismissing indictment 4762 of 1989. With respect to Mr. Lopez, the matter will be sealed, except on the request of the parties. We wish you peace and healing.
LOPEZ: “Thank you.”
BIBEN: “It is so ordered.”
5. Pan to Lopez, Lopez hugs attorney
ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York – 25 July 2022
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Alvin Bragg, (D) Manhattan District Attorney:
“Today is an important moment, not just for the DA’s office, but for Manhattan, New York City and the entire criminal justice system. So many largely forgot that there were six who were falsely accused of rape of the Central Park jogger. Today, Mr. Lopez joined the other five who had their convictions vacated. What is so striking to me is how young Mr. Lopez was when both he was arrested and then when he pled guilty under extraordinary pressure. He saw the outcome of two trials, not one, but two trials of the five other teenagers charged before him. He was questioned in the middle of the night. He was implicated by unreliable forensic evidence and by statements. And as many of you will recall, he was up against incredible public scrutiny.”
7. Wide of news conference
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Alvin Bragg, (D) Manhattan District Attorney:
“It is matters like this that hamper that trust and thereby, by extension, our public safety. And it is my hope that today, which is first and foremost as Mr. Lopez Lopez’s day, but also by extension the impact on the perception of our system and by extension, the impact on public safety.”
9. Wide of news conference
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Shapiro Renfroe, Steven Lopez’s attorney:
“What I would say is that, you know, and I don’t know how much he’s comfortable with me saying, but I would say that I couldn’t imagine having gone through this. And I think that he’s, you know, tremendously strong for having endured it. So I’m sure that he’s feeling a range of emotions. But I’m hoping today, at the very least, vindicated, because I think that there were a lot of awful things that were said about him that I know were not true at the time that were said and that were not true today.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: New York – 22 April 1989
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: New York – 21 April 1989
12. STILL of a police car sitting in an area of Central Park were a woman, who came to be known as the Central Park jogger, was raped, beaten and left for dead two nights earlier.
