When They See Us: An inside look on the young men labeled as the Central Park 5

When They See Us is a mini-series that does a great job of showing how the justice system failed the five boys over and over again. The final episode is bittersweet; while there is a happy ending. The pain and distraught that the young men went through resonates.

The four, one-hour episode was directed and written by Ava DuVernay and aired on Netflix on May 31 at 12 a.m.

DuVernay shows the audience the truth of what occurred to Kevin Richarson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salam, Korey Wise, and Raymond Santana when they were found guilty of being involved and committing the rape of 28-year old jogger Trisha Meili. 

In the series the audience sees Linda Fairstein, the head of prosecution, was determined to get all of the boys to say that they committed the rape. 

They were minors. Threats were made to their families. Their parents did not know their whereabouts; one of the young men was beaten to confess to a lie. They did not know their rights. They were abused; even when there was clear evidence that separated the young boys from the rape of Meili. Fairstein pushed until she received the victory she wanted.

Each episode is heart-wrenching and filled with terror to watch how the horror unfolded to the young men and their families. While America knows the outcome of the story. Viewers watching this series will have an ounce of hope that the jury will see that the boys are not guilty.

What Happened to Korey Wise?

The saddest part of the series is the story of Korey Wise. In the beginning, Wise was not a suspect. He decided to go with his friend Yusef when he was taken by the police as a form of support. Fairstein added Wise as the final boy known in the Central Park 5. At the age of 16, Wise was convicted as an adult and spent many years in solitary confinement to avoid getting beaten by other jail inmates. Viewers will get a raw scope on the mental state that Wise formed to survive the 13.5 years in prison he served

The ending is bittersweet. The young boys known as the Central Park 5 where know the Men of the Exonerated 5. In 2002, Matias Reyes confessed to the rape and assault that he committed to Trisha Meili. The Men were awarded 41 million dollars to account for each year served they in prison. But they never received an apology. If it were not for the inmate who confessed, their status as a convict would remain. The justice system failed them over and over again.

Ava DuVernay deserves a 10/10. The actors did a phenomenal job in telling the story that America never had a chance to witness of the young men. The series sparks a conversation and interest to make sure that we never have to relive another Central Park 5. It allowed people who were involved in the case such as Linda Fairstein to take accountability for their actions. 

The series will make the viewers form an interest in the five Men. Viewers will come away feeling sorry for the tragedy but will want to know more.

When They See Us: Where are they now?