Is Korey Wise married now?
Introduction
As a 16 year old kid, Korey Wise was the oldest member of the Central Park Five—and one of the most reviled people in America in 1989.
Donald Trump even paid $85,000 for full page ads calling for the return of the death penalty for “criminals of every age”—specifically triggered by Korey and his unfairly targeted cohorts.
All five boys were wrongly convicted of 28-year-old Trish Meili’s assault.
At sentencing, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, and Raymond Santana were sent to a youth correctional facility.
Being one year older than the other four, Korey was sent to adult prison, where he would serve more than a decade.
In 2001, a convicted murderer and serial rapist came forward to confess that he was responsible for the brutal assault on the Central Park Jogger.
DNA taken from the victim at the time backed up the confession—Matias Reyes was the real attacker.
After serving more than 10 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Korey Wise was finally free.
His story—and that of the other four wrongfully incarcerated boys—was retold in the 2019 hit Netflix miniseries When They See Us.
And audiences want to know all they can about Korey Wise.
What is he doing now?
Is he married?
How is he coping?
Here are 5 facts about the resilient Korey Wise.
#1. He didn’t let the system beat him down.
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Korey always maintained his innocence while he was incarcerated.
Sadly, he also had the most to lose when he was sent to NYC’s notorious Rikers Island at 16 years old.
From there, he was moved to one of New York’s maximum security prisons, and shuttled from one facility to the next—further and further from home.
Over the next 11.5 years of his wrongful incarceration, Korey was subjected to violence, abuse, and intimidation at the hands of hardened criminals.
He was isolated from his family.
With little connection to the world outside, and nothing but brutality inside, Korey’s existence was bleak.
And still—he maintained his innocence.
Since his exoneration and release, he hasn’t allowed the system that betrayed him to hold him back anymore.
He has created a home and community for himself.
He has built friendships and enjoyed experiences.
The activist received a Man of Vision award in 2021, and works extensively as an advocate for others facing prejudice and injustice in the American legal system.
