Ava DuVernay Sends A Warning To Presidential Hopeful Mike Bloomberg After He Fails To Answer Question About Exonerated 5 Case

Ava DuVernay, Mike Bloomberg

Ava DuVernay Sends A Warning To Presidential Hopeful Mike Bloomberg After He Fails To Answer Question About Exonerated 5 Case

Ava DuVernay is making sure new presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg is being held accountable.

During a press conference, Mike Bloomberg, who recently tossed his hat into the race for president, was asked about his previous support over how the Central Park Five case was handled.

The infamous case made national news after a female jogger in Central Park was brutally beaten and sexually assaulted on April 19, 1989. Five teenagers (Kevin Richardson, Korey Wise, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, and Raymond Santana) were allegedly tortured while being questioned in the incident. They were convicted and served years behind bars before a man came forward and confessed to being the true aggressor, and insisting that he acted alone. The five men were then exonerated and received a $41 million settlement from the city of New York in 2014.

Ava DuVernay told the story of the accused, who are now referred to as the Exonerated Five, in Netflix’s award-winning feature When They See Us. 

Mike Bloomberg served three terms as the mayor of New York City from 2002-2013. He has previously been supportive of how the city and the police department handled the case. When asked about it, he said earlier this week,

“I really have no idea. I’ve read the paper, I’ve been away from government a long time. Apparently the courts have ruled that they did not commit a crime, and that’s the final word. We just have to accept that. It isn’t a question of what anybody believes.

When asked about his previous support for the police department, and whether he’s had a change of heart, Mike Bloomberg said,

“I think there was an awful lot of evidence presented at that time that they were involved. There’s been questions since then about the quality of that evidence. I’ve been away from it for so long I just really can’t respond because I just don’t remember. But there’s been plenty written about it, and I’d suggest you go and read some of that.”

Ava DuVernay wasn’t having it. She fired a warning shot at Bloomberg via Twitter Wednesday ( Jan. 1).

“”I really can’t respond.” “I don’t remember.” “Go read up on it.” Sir. This will not work in 2020. The non-answers. The evasion. No, sir. Take the next opportunity to be clear about what you knew, what you did and what you did not do in this case. A happy new year warning.”

“I really can’t respond.”
“I don’t remember.”
“Go read up on it.”

Sir. This will not work in 2020. The non-answers. The evasion. No, sir. Take the next opportunity to be clear about what you knew, what you did and what you did not do in this case.

A happy new year warning. https://t.co/unZOaUF4zD

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) January 1, 2020

She also had a few words for Bloomberg when he was spotted visiting the Church Without Walls in Houston last month.

“Visiting black churches will not make us forget all the harm you’ve done to black people, sir. Harm you don’t admit to or attempt to reverse. You’re disingenuous and, quite frankly, toxic to us. And you don’t want me to get started with what you really did to the Exonerated Five.”