Another 'Exonerated 5' Member Launches City Council Campaign In Harlem

EAST HARLEM, NY — Raymond Santana, one of the five teenagers wrongfully imprisoned for the Central Park rape of a jogger in 1989, has joined the race to represent a portion of East Harlem and South Bronx in City Council, he announced Tuesday.

Yusef Salaam, another member of City Council and a member of the 'Exonerated Five' as they are now known, holds a nearby council seat representing parts of Harlem, East Harlem, Morningside Heights and Manhattan Valley.

Santana, a Democratic candidate, made the announcement just about four months away from the primary election, which will be June 24.

City Council District 8 is currently being represented by Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, who will leave office next year after her term ends.

Santana is joining a crowded Democratic primary race for the District 8 seat. Other candidates include Elsie Encarnacion, Ayala’s chief of staff, as well as Clarisa Alayeto, who is a Bronx Community Board Chair, and Edward Gibbs, who is the Assemblymember representing the district, as well as eight other competitors, according to New York City's Campaign Finance Board.

"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," Santana tweeted on Tuesday.

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