On the evening of April 19, 1989, a 28 year old woman was out for a jog in Central Park when she was brutally attacked, beaten, sodomized, raped, and left for dead.  Having lost three-quarters of her blood, the 100lb woman fell into a coma.(41) The Central Park Jogger attack, as it has come to be known, generated outrage and shock throughout the country.  The following May, six black youths ranging in age from 14-16 were indicted for the rape.  Apart from its viciousness, what was so shocking about the case was that these youths indicted, as well as many others, were said to have been out in the Park terrorizing others just for fun because they were bored.(42)

          Following a two-year long trial in 1990 for three of the accused, a jury found the three youths not guilty of attempted murder and sodomy, but guilty of rape, assault and riot, facing sentences of 5-10 years.(43)  In total, five youths were convicted in the Central Park attack: Anton McCray, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, and Kharey Wise.

         The Central Park Jogger continues to suffer the effects of such a traumatic event.  She suffers permanent physical damage such as a scarred face, double vision, loss of sense of smell, and a damaged sense of balance.  Not surprisingly she also suffers emotionally.(44)

            Although the youths were tried and convicted, the case was not over.  In June 2002, Matias Reyes, a convicted murder and serial rapist serving thirty-three years to life, claimed he alone had raped and left the Central Park Jogger for dead.  DNA evidence placed him at the crime scene.  He could not be charged because the statue of limitations in the case had expired.(45)  As a result, on December 19, 2002 the convictions of all five men were overturned.