Yusef Salaam, member of Exonerated Five, announces run for New York City Council
NEW YORK -- Yusef Salaam, a member of the Exonerated Five, is now in the race for New York City Council.
Salaam announced his candidacy Saturday for the 9th District in Manhattan, representing parts of Harlem, Morningside Heights and the Upper West Side.
In 1990, Salaam was wrongly convicted in the Central Park jogger case. His conviction was rescinded in 2002 after he spent seven years in prison.
"It's time for me to light a fire in our community that motivates us to demand that those in power address these systemic barriers that keep so many of us from thriving and not just surviving," he said Saturday.
Since his release, Salaam has worked as a criminal justice advocate and serves as a board member for the Innocence Project.
