Photographs are cropped to fit. Photo dates and original images are available through the source credits.
Disputed justice
Five teenagers were wrongly convicted after the 1989 assault of jogger Trisha Meili in Central Park. Their convictions were vacated in 2002 after another man confessed and DNA supported his account. Documentary and dramatic treatments examine the interrogations, racialized coverage, and consequences for the five.
Content note: violence, abuse, or loss. Linked material may contain graphic descriptions. Screen dramatizations may change events and dialogue.
New York. The map provides regional context; individually verified historical places are listed below.
Map sources checked September 14, 2026. No case-specific Odd Stops location was found in this review.
See this case’s source review
Odd Stops
No verified match found. Source imagery is linked; only separately licensed photos are reproduced.
MurderData
No verified match found.
ArcGIS essay
Not included in this essay.
Reddit map
Reviewed as a general resource. Its coordinates and victim counts were not adopted as case evidence.
“No verified match” describes the accessible material found in this review, not proof that a source has never covered the case. MAP’s anonymous records were not individually matched to people.
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
A verified movie listing has not been added yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
03TV & documentaries
1 items
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
PBS
The Central Park Five
Nonfiction screen coverage of this case. The linked page identifies the program or episode; playback, subscriptions, and regional availability vary.
Original newspaper coverage, hosted by Newspapers.com. Read each article in the context of its publication date; later findings may differ. Full-page access may require sign-in.
Featured newspaper clipping
Read a featured clipping here, then explore more reporting in the newspaper archive.
The Herald-News · 2002-12-06 · Page 38
Prosecutor seeks to vacate the five convictions
An Associated Press report explains the DNA evidence and recommendation to vacate the convictions.
Published shortly before the convictions were vacated; the men were exonerated.
Loads the article viewer from Newspapers.com. That service receives your browser and connection information and may use cookies. Access is controlled by the publisher; a subscription may be needed for additional archive material.
Case videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
CBS News
The nightmare of the Central Park Five
Video from CBS News covering the The Central Park Five case. Length: 2:41.
Outside blogs, personal essays, and creator write-ups. These reflect each author’s perspective. Check publication dates and compare claims with reporting and court records.
True Crime & Authors · Blog / essay
The Central Park 5— A Confession America Wanted
An outside blog or essay discussing The Central Park Five. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
An outside blog or essay discussing The Central Park Five. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
Individual records from Internet Archive: library books, historical broadcasts, and preserved web pages. A catalog listing does not guarantee free reading or full playback. Access, previews, and borrowing are controlled by Internet Archive.
Internet Archive · Library record · 2011
The Central Park Five
Sarah Burns. A library catalog record for a book connected with The Central Park Five. The record may offer a preview or borrowing options; full reading access is not guaranteed.
The Young Turks With Cenk Uygur : CURRENT : April 6, 2012 7:00pm-8:00pm PDT
The archive indexes this broadcast under Central Park Five. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
Ken Burns : CSPAN : April 13, 2013 11:40pm-12:40am EDT
The archive indexes this broadcast under Central Park Five. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
T2U8-9TNU: Brett Kavanaugh, Laquan McDonald, and the Presump…
A preserved web reference related to The Central Park Five. This is a historical capture, so later reporting may differ; access to the captured page can vary.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
11Court records & documents
1 items
Court opinions, filings, transcripts, and dockets, alongside clearly labeled parole records, released investigative files, and courtroom recordings. Each item identifies its source and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. These selections are not complete case files. Where an online document could not be verified, a separate guide identifies the records office or archive to contact.
Vacatur opinionOfficial court
People v. Wise — order vacating the Central Park Five convictions
Judge Charles Tejada’s opinion granting the motions to vacate the five defendants’ convictions. The link opens the official bound volume at PDF page 503, where this opinion begins; the download contains other cases as well.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
13Where are they now?
0 items
The latest information verified for this collection is listed below. Each source has its own date; these are not live custody records.
A current-status update has not been verified for this case yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
14Positive Outcome
0 items
Documented laws, advocacy, and reforms connected to this case. Changes do not undo the harm, and listing a law does not claim that it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific law, reform, or advocacy initiative has been verified for this collection yet. This does not mean that none exists.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
The Central Park Five — media, court records & case files | Unforgotten Casebook
07Social Media
6 itemsCase videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
CBS News
The nightmare of the Central Park Five
Video from CBS News covering the The Central Park Five case. Length: 2:41.
Watch on YouTubeCBS Mornings
Central Park Five get $40M from NYC
Video from CBS Mornings covering the The Central Park Five case. Length: 2:45.
Watch on YouTubeCBS Sunday Morning
The Central Park Five: A cautionary tale of injustice
Video from CBS Sunday Morning covering the The Central Park Five case. Length: 7:16.
Watch on YouTubeCNN
Officer disputes Netflix portrayal of Central Park Five case
Video from CNN covering the The Central Park Five case. Length: 9:43.
Watch on YouTubeABC News
One Night in Central Park l 20/20 l PART 3| ABC News
Video from ABC News covering the The Central Park Five case. Length: 7:42.
Watch on YouTubeABC News
One Night in Central Park l 20/20 l PART 4 | ABC News
Video from ABC News covering the The Central Park Five case. Length: 7:45.
Watch on YouTube