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Ken Burns The Central Park Five Essay

1711 Words7 Pages

As a citizen of America, we call 911 as resolution to protect us all citizens. In 1989, police proved to the people of New York City that they are not the ones who can always solve our problems. The Ken Burns documentary, The Central PAs a citizen of America, we call 911 as resolution to protect us all citizens. In 1989, police proved to the people of New York City that they are not the ones who can always solve our problems. The Ken Burns documentary, The Central Park Five, follows the case of five African-American and Hispanic youths who were falsely imprisoned for a rape and an assault they did not commit. The documentary provides four implications as to how and why this injustice occurred: 1) racial and socioeconomic biases against the …show more content…

They were associated with gangs and were out in Central Park when the crime occurred, and that was good enough for most to believe they must have been responsible. The brutal nature of the attack influenced public demand for justice, which pressured the legal system to solve the crime as quickly as possible. The media's portrayal of the case, focusing on grisly details and dehumanizing the suspects, only intensified the city's motivation to send the accused to jail. When the boys were found to have confessed, even though these confessions were made by youths who were simply frightened and trying to please the investigators, the evidence was considered sufficient for a guilty verdict. The documentary therefore shows how systemic racism in both the justice system and amongst the American public encouraged a verdict that should never have occurred. ark Five, follows the case of five African-American and Hispanic youths who were falsely imprisoned for a rape an an assault they did not commit. The documentary provides four implications as to how and why this injustice occurred: 1) racial and socioeconomic biases against the defendants; 2) public demand that the perpetrators of the horrific crime be brought to justice; 3) media influence in reporting the case; and 4) the confessions made by the youths, although these confessions were coerced by

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