Episode 6 - The Central Park Five

On April 19, 1989, 28-year-old Tricia Meili, was brutally beaten, raped, and left for dead in Central Park. Five boys, each between the ages of 14 and 16, were quickly identified as suspects. Initially coerced into confessions, each boy later recanted and proclaimed his innocence. In 2002, an individual confessed to this crime, with his DNA matching that found at the crime scene. What followed sparked a national conversation on race, police methodology, and the rights of the accused. When does the investigation method cross the line into the violation of a suspect’s rights under the Constitution? Drs. Micono and Morelos take a look at the difficult job of contemporary police work and how public accountability is demanding an evolution in how law enforcement is practiced.