Central Park Five Prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer Resigns As Columbia Law School Professor After Black Student Protest

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lederer, the prosecutor who played a significant role in convicting the Central Park Five, has resigned from Columbia Law School.

Lederer was a part-time professor until Wednesday after a group of black students protested to have her removed.

Since the release of “When They See Us,” the controversy of the Central Park Five conviction has been reignited, and people are looking for justice to be served for those who put them away.

“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 Student Association called Lederer’s actions racist and demanded that she be fired. The association also asked for Columbia Law School to revamp the curriculum in a letter.

“Columbia Law School should fire Elizabeth Lederer but that is just a start,” the letter reads. “The school needs to address the racism in how the law is taught.”