Central Park 5′s $41M settlement approved by Controller Stringer

The Central Park Five, from left, Kharey Wise, Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana and Antron McCray, will share $ 41 million for wrongful convictions.

The Central Park Five’s bitter battle for exoneration and restitution moved closer to its end Thursday as City Controller Scott Stringer approved their $ 41 million settlement.

“It’s a major victory for us,” said Raymond Santana, who along with Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson and Yusef Salaam was imprisoned for just under seven years in the sensational Central Park Jogger case. Fellow plaintiff Kharey Wise served nearly 13 years after the group was convicted in 1990.

“Every day I wake up with the gloves still on,” Santana told the Daily News. “It’s difficult to hang up the gloves. We’ve never been given nothing easy. Everything has been a battle for us.”

“We’re grateful that Bill de Blasio came in and made it happen,” he added.

The city and plaintiffs reached a settlement last week.

jim estrin “It’s a major victory for us,” said Raymond Santana, who along with Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson and Yusef Salaam was imprisoned for just under seven years in the sensational Central Park Jogger case. Fellow plaintiff Kharey Wise served nearly 13 years after the group was convicted in 1990. Defendants Michael Briscoe, Steve Lopez, McCray, Richardson and Salaam are seen in court.

“It was always about closure,” said Santana, adding the payout will help secure his 10-year-old daughter’s future. “So everyone can know without a shadow of a doubt that we’re innocent.”

De Blasio’s predecessor, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, fought to get the lawsuits dismissed.

Stringer said that in his judgment, “this settlement is a prudent and equitable solution for all parties to the lawsuit and closes a very difficult chapter in our city’s history.”

Michael Warren, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said he is hoping the payout will enable the men to resume normal lives.

Bryan Pace/for New York Daily News City Comptroller Scott Stringer said that in his judgment, “this settlement is a prudent and equitable solution for all parties to the lawsuit and closes a very difficult chapter in our city’s history.”

“We’re elated that the controller’s office has approved the settlement,” he said. “Although it will not restore the youth and childhoods that were stolen from each of our clients, it will at least allow them to proceed with their lives with some state of normalcy. For that we are very grateful.”

Jonthan Moore, another lawyer for the men, said he was satisfied with the payout, noting it would be $ 41 million. Stringer’s office would not confirm the amount, citing confidentiality laws.

As teenagers in 1989, the men were arrested in the savage rape of 28-year-old Tricia Meili, who was brutalized so badly she was in a coma for six weeks.

They were exonerated in 2002 when the real rapist, Matias Reyes, confessed to the crime and DNA evidence backed up his claim.

Now that Stringer approved the settlement, it has to be signed by the two parties and submitted for authorization to U.S. District Court in Manhattan, where the men filed their civil rights lawsuit.

clestch@nydailynews.com

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