The Central Park Five received an emotional standing ovation at the 2019 BET Awards as they took the stage to share their harrowing journey of injustice.
The five men – Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise – were wrongly convicted of raping a female jogger in New York’s Central Park in 1989 and spent years behind bars before being exonerated in 2002.
On Sunday host Regina Hall introduced the men to the stage as ‘the exonerated five’ as audience members rose to their feet and pumped their fists out of respect.
The show cameras cut to the emotional faces of audience members including stars Cardi B, John Legend, and Tyler Perry as they applauded the five.
Korey Wise took to the microphone first and shut his eyes closed overcome with emotion at the powerful audience welcome.
The men known as the Central Park Five presented an award at the 2019 BET Awards on Sunday and were welcomed with a powerful standing ovation
Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise shared a message on the injustice they suffered and their mission of truth as they took to the BET stage on Sunday, where they were welcomed with an emotional standing ovation
The crowd stood up, cheered, and praised the five as they arrived onto the stage. McCray wore a T-shirt featuring each of their names and Santana sported a shirt with his own mug on it
Korey Wise took to the mirophone first and shut his eyes closed, overcome with emotion
‘We are all in our own individual journeys in life,’ Wise said, his voice breaking.
‘We don’t know where our journeys will take us or how they will collide with others,’ Antron McCray followed.
‘We didn’t know that one day would bond me to these men for the rest of our lives,’ Kevin Richardson added.
‘But I know that in telling our truth, our lives have been changed forever,’ Yusef Salaam said.
‘Your truth is the foundation your legacy will be laid upon. Your truth will be the memories people keep long after your gone,’ Raymond Santana concluded.
McCray wore a T-shirt featuring each of their names and Santana sported a shirt with his own teenage mugshot on it.
The show cameras cut to the emotional faces of audience members including stars Cardi B, John Legend, and Tyler Perry as they applauded the five
Some attendees even fist pumped to cheer on the five as they entered the stage
John Legend shared his applause for the five men as they presented their award
Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry gave the crowd uproarious applause at the show
Everyone at the show stood up out of respect for the five as they took to the stage
Their case has come back to light following the Netflix mini series When They See Us directed by Ava DuVernay, which follows the case through its wrongful conviction to the five’s exoneration, spotlighting the challenges inmates face upon re-assimilating into society.
DuVerny shared video of the moving standing ovation writing: ‘#BETAwards We see you, brothers. We see you.’
Earlier in the night she shared a picture of Wise dressed up backstage.
‘Korey King Wise getting ready to take the stage with his brothers at their first BET Awards. Literally, can’t even describe how full my heart is. #WhenTheySeeUs.’
The Central Park Five was one of the most reported on cases in the late 80s and 90s and the five served sentences of six to 13 years until they were final exonerated when serial rapist and killer Matias Reyes confessed to the crime.
Their names were cleared and New York City awarded them $41million in 2014 for their wrongful sentence.
But as the series unveiled, life following exoneration has been filled with challenges and scrutiny for the case.
DuVerny shared video of the moving standing ovation writing: ‘#BETAwards We see you, brothers. We see you.’
‘We didn’t know that one day would bond me to these men for the rest of our lives,’ Kevin Richardson said on Sunday. ‘But I know that in telling our truth, our lives have been changed forever,’ Yusef Salaam added. From left to right: Korey Wise, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, and Kevin Richardson
The five beamed on stage as they took in the powerful response of the crowd
The five were wrongly convicted of raping a female jogger in New York’s Central Park in 1989 and spent years behind bars before being exonerated in 2002
Their case has come back to light following the Netflix mini series When They See Us directed by Ava DuVernay