I have chosen the documentary ‘When They See Us’, by Ava DuVernay, released in 2019, portrays the events of “five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they’re falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. Based on the true story.” The case is legitimate and widely known as the Central Park Jogger Case, 4 out of the 5 teenagers were exonerated after serving some years in prison whereas one teenager out of the five was incarcerated for several years due to being tried as an adult. Having the teenagers tried in a court of law put themselves and their families at risk of never seeing the light of day anymore and the fear of being labelled sex offenders which put a permanent mark on them. Wise (one of the teenagers tried as adult) meets the rapist at isolation facilities who committed the murder, confesses, and came forward giving all the evidence needed to free the teenagers from prison. “In 2003, the Central Park Five filed a civil lawsuit against New York City for malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress. City officials fought the case for more than a decade, before finally settling for $41 million dollars.” Therefore, the United States still shows prejudiced views towards minorities to this day.

Cited in APA Format:

DuVernay, A. (2019, May 31). When They See Us. Retrieved September 02, 2020, from https://www.netflix.com/title/80200549

History.com Editors. (2019, May 14). The Central Park Five. Retrieved September 02, 2020, from https://www.history.com/topics/1980s/central-park-five