Second ‘Central Park Five’ member seeking NYC Council seat

A second member of the “Central Park Five,” men were wrongly convicted and later exonerated of assaulting and raping a white woman in 1989, is seeking a seat on the New York City Council.

Raymond Santana is the second member of the group of five Black and Latino men to seek a seat on the city council after Council Member Yusef Salaam, who was elected to represent Central Harlem in 2023. Santana announced his campaign on Tuesday, running to represent Council District 8, which covers East Harlem and the Bronx.

Santana’s website states that he “knows what most New Yorkers know — that the current system isn’t working for communities like the South Bronx and East Harlem. And that’s why he’s running to represent his home on the New York City Council.”

Santana was 14 years old when he was arrested along with four others in relation to the 1989 attack on a white female jogger in Central Park. He was acquitted on a charge of attempted murder but found guilty of assault and rape and served more than seven years in prison.

His and the others’ convictions were overturned in 2002 after the real culprit confessed and DNA evidence proved the five’s innocence.

“Since his release, Raymond has become a champion for criminal and social justice causes and a voice for those not heard, using his platform to fight against wrongful convictions, police misconduct, and systemic inequalities,” Santana’s website states.

The website states that Santana has supported legislation to provide a legal pathway to exoneration, ensure that youth have the opportunity to speak with an attorney before waiving their Miranda rights and ban deceptive and coercive practices in police interrogations in the state of New York.

Santana also has worked as an entrepreneur, running a clothing line, and has traveled the country as a motivational speaker, according to his website.

President Trump was particularly outspoken in railing against the group of five as the case was ongoing, calling for their execution in a full-page ad.

“Raymond will bring his experience and unique perspective to City Hall, again standing up to Donald Trump, and giving a voice to those who have been marginalized to ensure that justice and equality are afforded to all New Yorkers,” the website states.

Santana told The New York Times in an interview that he is still determining his positions on several issues that the council would likely address. But he told the outlet that he believes he is uniquely positioned to improve trust between the city’s police department and the public and advocate for more programming to help incarcerated people reenter society.

The Times noted that several other candidates have already filed to run in the Democratic primary for the seat in June, including Elsie Encarnacion, who serves as chief of staff to outgoing Council member Diana Ayala. Another candidate is nonprofit lawyer Wilfredo López.

“To have a community that stood by me when Donald Trump and the rest of the world attacked us,” he told the outlet. “They always had my back. So I have to have theirs.”

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