Donald Trump Goes Off, Rips NY Over Multi-Million Dollar Deal

by Cyrus Langhorne

Real estate mogul Donald Trump has worked up a storm across social media after publicly blasting the state of New York for awarding millions in a publicized "Central Park Five" case. #Trumped

Trump went on a mini-tirade over social media to spread his thoughts.

"N.Y. City is paying FORTY MILLION DOLLARS to five men that many think are guilty as hell. So many facts - should have been trial. Politics!," Trump tweeted June 22.

"How much money are the lawyers for the Central Park Five getting out of the 40 million dollars, or are they paid by the City (or both)?"

"I'd bet the lawyers for the Central Park 5 are laughing at the stupidity of N.Y.C. when there was such a strong case against their "clients"" (Donald Trump's Twitter)

The media personality also penned an open article on the case.

My opinion on the settlement of the Central Park Jogger case is that it's a disgrace. A detective close to the case, and who has followed it since 1989, calls it "the heist of the century." Settling doesn't mean innocence, but it indicates incompetence on several levels. This case has not been dormant, and many people have asked why it took so long to settle? It is politics at its lowest and worst form. What about the other people who were brutalized that night, in addition to the jogger? (NY Daily News)

Trump also suggested the case is bigger than the wrongly convicted men.

Speak to the detectives on the case and try listening to the facts. These young men do not exactly have the pasts of angels. What about all the people who were so desperately hurt and affected? I hope it's not too late to continue to fight and that this unfortunate event will not have a repeat episode any time soon -- or ever. As citizens and taxpayers, we deserve better than this. (NY Daily News)

The case dates back to an April 1989 rape in New York's Central Park.

The five teenagers were convicted one year later in 1990 after police coerced them into making false statements that ended up incriminating them. The teens, now men, served between seven and 13 years in prison so the settlement amounted to approximately $1 million for each year they were locked up behind bars. Korey Wise served 13 years while Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam and Raymond Santana Jr. served about seven years each. (All Voices)