Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
Ava DuVernay dissected the American prison industrial complex in the award winning Netflix documentary 13th and she has returned to the streaming service to examine the flaws of the criminal justice system in a mini docu-series about the racially divisive case of the Central Park Five.
DuVernay, one of the most sought after filmmakers in Hollywood, is teaming up with Harpo Films, Participant Media, and Tribeca Productions for the series, which will premiere in 2019.
Thank you to the men and their families who entrusted me w/ their story. Great love + respect to Raymond, Kevin, Korey, Antron + Yusef. #CP5 pic.twitter.com/7vVQg5XYs2
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) July 6, 2017
In 1989, five African-American and Latino teenagers were arrested and accused of beating and raping a white female jogger in Central Park. After more than a decade spent behind bars, in 2002, the men were freed on account of DNA evidence proving that they were not responsible for the attack.
.@Ava is doing a 5 part mini-series about the Central Park Five for @Netflix. Not many people putting activism with their art like she is. pic.twitter.com/xxsUeNr50e
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) July 6, 2017
The miniseries will span from 1989 to 2014, the year the group was cleared of all charges. Each episode of the five-part mini-series will focus on one of the men – Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise.
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