Central Park 5 prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer resigns as Columbia law prof after black student protest

Central Park 5 prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer resigns as Columbia law prof after black student protest

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-central-park-5-lederer-columbia-black-law-students-20190612-a6rqou3hdvhyljpzkzafqtncca-story.html


Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lederer, a prosecutor in the overturned Central Park 5 conviction, resigned Wednesday from Columbia Law School where she served as a part-time professor after a group of black students called on her to quit.

Controversy over the conviction of the men has been reignited after the release of an fictionalized version of the events, called “When They See Us," airing on Netflix.

“The mini-series has reignited a painful—and vital—national conversation about race, identity, and criminal justice. I am deeply committed to fostering a learning environment that furthers this important and ongoing dialogue, one that draws upon the lived experiences of all members of our community and actively confronts the most difficult issues of our time,” Dean Gillian Lester told Bloomberg News.

The Black Law Students Association, calling Lederer’s actions "racist,' demanded on Tuesday that the administration dump her from the faculty where she serves as a lecturer in law.