April 26, 2025
U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone ruled Trump’s statements during the Sept 2024 presidential debate could be looked at as factual assertions over opinions.
Raymond Santana, one of the Exonerated Five, broke his silence on a judge blocking President Doanld Trump’s attempt to have their defamation suit thrown out, saying it “proves our point.”
Santana pointed out that he and the other members of the wrongly accused also known as the Central Park Five – Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, Antron Brown, and Korey Wise – have been dealing with Trump since 1989 when Trump, then a New York City businessman, ran full-page newspaper ads calling for their execution. “It just proves our point. We’ve been dealing with this man since 1989, and he has doubled down, tripled down, and sometimes quadrupled down on our guilt, and it just shows that justice is going to be served,” Santana said.
“The courts are not going to fall for the BS. They are going to call it how they see it, and that we have a case. We deserve to be heard in court, and the right to face our accuser.”
The business owner pointed out that Trump has never shown remorse for his actions and highlighted how he doubled down on his and his exonerated friends being guilty during the 2024 presidential debate with former Vice President Kamala Harris. The group was granted the victory after U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone ruled that Trump’s statements during the presidential debate in September could be considered factual assertions rather than opinions, making them subject to defamation claims. “The broadcast was liable for its defamatory publication,” the judge ruled.
“Here, Plaintiffs were not just in the process of being exonerated; their name had been cleared for over twenty years, so Defendant cannot argue that stating they pleaded guilty to crimes is substantially true when the truth is that Plaintiffs are not guilty at all of those crimes.”
Salaam, now an elected member of New York City’s Council, was backstage during the debate. Trump spotted him and assumed that Salaam was there to support him. When reporters asked the GOP candidate at the time if he would apologize, he grinned and pointed at Salaam, saying, “That’s good, you’re on my side!”
Outside of getting his time in court to face his accuser, Santana will have plenty of time to speak about the changes he wants to see in the courtroom. According to CBS News, he is running for City Council in East Harlem and the Bronx to help revitalize the area, which has been experiencing deteriorating neighborhoods. “Because my community needs resources, and if I can help organize, unify, and uplift them, then I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing,” Santana said.
Referring to the area as “zombie land,” the 50-year-old wants to see change that he claims he doesn’t see under the leadership of current council member, Diana Ayala. He admits that the race will be tough, but is proud that his platform is still evolving with a focus on public safety and heightening the relationship between people in the neighborhood and the NYPD.
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