Netflix’ ‘When They See Us’ Trailer Has Arrived
On April 19, 1989, a woman was raped and attacked in Central Park. Five teenage boys would be arrested and jailed for the crime.
Two boys were initially arrested for unlawful assembly – also known as a riot. Police unjustly deemed them and three other teenagers as those responsible for the rape and attack of the 28 year old woman in the park. They would be known forever more as ‘The Central Park Five’ in the media and by the prosecution.
The five teenagers, 4 of them black, 1 Latino, were charged with attempted murder, rape in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, two counts of assault in the first degree, and riot in the first degree. The five were sentenced between five-15 years in prison. One was tried as an adult, he spent 12 years at Rikers Island – the world’s largest correctional institutions and mental institutions, also deemed and described as New York’s most famous jail. They were exonerated in 2002 after someone admitted to the crime and DNA matched.
Academy Award nominated Ava DuVernay brings the story of the five men to Netflix in a mini-series entitled, When They See Us. It’s a sliver of the history of unjust racial profiling that young people of color are subjected to. The story of the men takes place over 25 years, from when they were 14-16 and first questioned by the police to 2014 when they reached a settlement with New York in 2014 after their names were cleared.
Taking to Twitter, on the 30th anniversary, Ava Duvernay said this, “On this exact day, 30 years ago, a woman was raped in Central Park. Five black + brown boys were framed for her rape. The story you know is the lie that police, prosecutors, and Donald Trump told you. When They See Us, is the story of the boys from their eyes and their hearts.”
Actors Asante Blackk, Justin Cunningham, Caleel Harris, Jovan Adepo, Ethan Herisse, Chris Chalk, Freddy Miyares and Marquis Rodriguez portray the men, the boys, who were were wrongfully convicted of the crime. The series also stars Michael K. Williams, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman, Niecy Nash, Vera Farmiga and Joshua Jackson.
When They See Us, will be available for viewing on Netflix, May 31, 2019. Below is the trailer, share your thoughts.
