Former White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter was shown the door after two ex-wives and a girlfriend accused him of domestic violence. However, in a surprise appearance with reporters Friday (Feb. 9) Donald Trump demonstrated sympathy when speaking about Porter.
[Porter did] “a very good job while he was in the White House” Trump said. He then added “We wish him well.” The president later took to Twitter to expand on his thoughts regarding Porter.
Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation. Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused – life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 10, 2018
Many found the vote of confidence Trump issued for Porter to be odd, including Raymond Santana.
Back in 1989, Santana along with Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise who were between the ages 14 and 16 year olds were accused of brutally beating and raping a jogger who went for a run in Central Park.
Dubbed the Central Park Five, the teens were all convicted of the crime and sent to prison where they served anywhere between six and 13 years, with Wise serving the longest sentence. Although it would be another 28 years before Trump would become president, he called for the death of the teenagers, which the press dubbed the “wolf pack.”
Through DNA evidence, it was deduced the jogger wasn’t raped by five teens, but instead by one man Matias Reyes, who was already a convicted rapist and murderer. Reyes reportedly confessed to having acted alone.
Santana, who has always been vocal about his disdain for the president took to Twitter to showcase the hypocrisy in Trump’s now call for “due process.”
You should have spoke like that back in 1989…#thecentralpark5, you called for the #deathpenalty, we were 14 & 15 years old.. #kids https://t.co/Zo90LKsYgr
— The central park 5 (@santanaraymond) February 10, 2018
In July 2017, it was announced Academy Award nominated director Ava DuVernay would write and direct a limited series about the Central Park Five for Netflix. This however isn’t the first time a story has been done about the landmark case and exoneration. Ken and Sarah Burns created a documentary for PBS about the five young black and brown men which aired in 2012.
After Santana spoke out against Trump, the A Wrinkle In Time director took to Instagram to continue to pledge her allegiance to the Central Park Five.