Raymond Santana, one of the Exonerated Five, has announced his candidacy for the New York City Council, seeking to represent Council District 8, which includes East Harlem and parts of the Bronx. His campaign marks another chapter in his lifelong advocacy for criminal justice reform, community empowerment, and systemic change.
Santana is the second member of the Exonerated Five to run for office, following Yusef Salaam, who won his city council seat representing Central Harlem in 2023. The two, along with three others—Korey Wise, Antron McCray, and Kevin Richardson—were wrongly convicted as teenagers in the 1989 Central Park Jogger case, a conviction that was overturned in 2002 when DNA evidence proved their innocence.
“I know what most New Yorkers know—that the current system isn’t working for communities like the South Bronx and East Harlem. And that’s why I’m running to represent my home on the New York City Council,” Santana’s campaign website states.
Santana’s advocacy work has been extensive since his exoneration. He has championed criminal and social justice causes, including pushing for police accountability, protecting youth rights in interrogations, and fighting wrongful convictions. His legislative efforts include supporting laws that ensure juveniles can consult an attorney before waiving their Miranda rights and banning coercive police interrogation tactics.
My name is Raymond Santana. I’m a son of Harlem and a member of the Exonerated 5. I’m an activist and small business owner. And today, I’m proud to announce my campaign for New York City Council District 8.
— Raymond Santana (@santanaraymond) February 25, 2025
Join me and together we’ll deliver on the promise of a better future… pic.twitter.com/Q75yUV7xpJ
At just 14 years old, Santana was wrongfully arrested alongside four other Black and Latino teenagers for the 1989 Central Park Jogger case. He was convicted of assault and rape and spent over seven years in prison before being exonerated in 2002. The real perpetrator later confessed, and DNA evidence confirmed the five young men had been innocent all along.
Rather than retreat from the public eye, Santana used his experience to become a voice for the unheard, fighting for reforms to prevent others from enduring similar injustices. Now, he’s looking to bring that passion to City Hall.
Santana, who recently moved back to East Harlem, says his candidacy is a natural progression of his fight for justice. Running for office is his way of giving back to the community that has supported him, ensuring that no one else has to endure the trauma he faced as a teenager.
