My Brother's Keeper

My Brother's Keeper.

Twelve years ago a shocking case was brought to light in New York City. A case we came to refer to as the Central Park Jogger Rape. Five young Black men were accused of gang raping a White female who was jogging through a section of Central Park at the time.

We all thought, both Black and White, what a horrendous crime it is to rape another human being – no matter what Race, Creed, Class, or Colour. We all believed the persons responsible should get what they so justly deserved. However, now there is new information regarding this case.

Matias Reyes has confessed to the crime. Reyes, who happens to be in prison serving a thirty-three year sentence for an unrelated crime, has been linked to the rape through DNA.

The Manhattan District Attorney would like to postpone the judgment of Matias Reyes, which would essentially expunge the crime from the five young men’s records. The question is, why?

What we have here are five young Black men who were coerced by the Police and the Manhattan District Attorney into confessing to a crime they did not commit. Yes they may have been in Central Park at the time, but these five young men happen to be innocent. We are all taught that a person is innocent of a crime until proven guilty. And the District Attorney’s office never proved their guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt.

This proves that as long as you are Black in this country, there is greater possibility of you being accused and charged of a crime, no matter how many times you state your innocence and provide a substantial alibi to your whereabouts.

These five young men had five years of their lives taken from them. Those are five years they cannot ever get back. This is something these young men will have to live with for the rest of their lives. How violated would that make you feel as a man?

Another case in point is the victim. Someone forced himself on her and committed the heinous crime of rape. Now let’s be realistic. Are we to believe that she did not know the difference between being raped by five men, as opposed to one? This is the pervasive attitude here in this country. When all else fails, they must have been Black. I have no use for people who think this way.

All the N.Y.P.D had to hear was that the victim thought her assailants were Black. They then went out in force and gathered up five innocent young men and forced them to confess to a crime they did not commit. How is this possible? Just ask ANY Black man in this country who has had a run-in with their local police department for the answer. They will tell you that cops use them as scapegoats to “solve” crimes that they are just too lazy and stupid to figure out with a little hard work and common sense. A White woman can accuse a Black man of a crime in this country, and before all the facts are gathered the Brother will be arrested and charged with that crime. And if the accused has no viable alibi…guess who’s doing time!

There should be some sort of repatriation for these young men. At the very least, the victim should make a public apology for taking five years of these men’s lives. But we know that will not happen, because she’s a victim…bullshit! What about my young Brothers that have to endure the stigma of being labeled rapists? Apologies should spew forth from the Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office, the Mayor, and from the city as well. Sure monetary reparations always help, but it does not erase the injustice inflicted upon these young men.

To Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Kharey Wise and Yusef Saalam, keep your heads up my Brothers. You knew all along that you were innocent, and all the people who know you and have faith in you believe in your innocence as well. To the female victim, I am terribly sorry that this happened to you, and cannot imagine what you must have gone through. However, my sorrow for you has greatly diminished. You blamed my innocent Brothers, and that in my eyes makes you far more guilty than they were ever accused of being.

Until then as always I remain…My Brother’s Keeper.

"Show me a man who claims he is objective and I'll show you a man with illusions."