A federal judge has recused himself from overseeing a defamation case brought by the exonerated “Central Park Five” against President-elect Donald Trump. Senior Judge Michael Baylson stepped down after acknowledging a conflict of interest involving his long-standing friendship with Shanin Specter, attorney for the plaintiffs. This action follows a formal request for recusal made by Trump on November 14, citing Specter’s disclosure of personal ties to the judge just a day earlier. Specter revealed he had represented Baylson and his wife in the past, leading to their amicable relationship since childhood.
The lawsuit stems from defamatory remarks allegedly made by Trump, who has controversially maintained the men’s guilt despite their exoneration. These five individuals were wrongfully convicted in the infamous 1989 assault and rape case of a jogger in Central Park, playing a pivotal role in Trump’s media responses at the time, including his calls for the death penalty in newspaper ads. DNA evidence ultimately cleared them in 2002, after they had spent years in prison.
Trump’s legal team acknowledged the recusal without objection. In response, Baylson requested that the matter be reassigned within the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The case, listed as Salaam v. Trump, E.D. Pa., No. 24-cv-05560, awaits reassignment.
Both Specter and Trump’s defense representatives have refrained from public commentary. For further details, the complete write-up is accessible via Bloomberg Law.