One of the most enlightening documentaries of last year is now available to stream, for free. The latest work from Ken Burns showed at major festivals, including Cannes and Toronto, and now after airing in on their channel, PBS have put The Central Park Five in its entirety up online. Chronicling the 1989 Central Park Jogger Case — in which five teens were tried and convicted of assaulting and raping a female jogger one night — it showcased a myriad of errors, including faulty evidence, leading to an ongoing battle between the defendants and the prosecutors. Directed with his daughter, Sarah, and David McMahon, one can watch the complete, riveting two-hour film below or on PBS.
Synopsis:
In 1989, five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem were arrested and later convicted of raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park. They spent between six and 13 years in prison before a serial rapist confessed that he alone had committed the crime, resulting in their convictions being overturned.
Set against a backdrop of a decaying city beset by violence and racial tension, THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE tells the story of that horrific crime, the rush to judgment by the police, a media clamoring for sensational stories, an outraged public, and the five lives upended by this miscarriage of justice.
