The Central Park Five (2012)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Ken Burns

Running time: 119 minutes

In 1989, Trisha Meili, a Caucasian investment banker in New York City, was jogging in Central Park when she was attacked, brutally beaten and savagely raped. Shortly after, five black teenagers were arrested and accused of committing the crime. Armed with video confessions obtained through what they still say was coercion, the prosecution had the boys convicted and sent to jail. In 2001, a convicted serial rapist and murderer Matias Reyes confessed to the crime involving the Central Park jogger and the convictions from over a decade later were vacated.

I felt like the filmmakers did an awesome job of placing the events of the Central Park jogger case in its proper context. Racial tensions were a major issue back then, as they still are in certain places. And the treatment of black people by the police and the issues of profiling have been dealt with many times before. Knowing what we know today, it was particularly interesting to see some footage of Donald Trump commenting on the issue at the time of the crime.

The Central Park Five is a very informative documentary that pulls you in and makes you feel for the ordeal these young boys have gone through. Well worth it.

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