Trump in 1989 on controversial 'Central Park Five' ad: 'Maybe hate is what we need

In addition to the discovery of the lewd comments Donald Trump made about women in 2005, CNN unearthed video Friday of the Republican presidential nominee explaining in 1989 the bold stance he took in New York City's infamous "Central Park Five" case.

In an interview with then-CNN host Larry King, Trump said, "maybe hate is what we need if we're gonna get something done."

MARY SCHWALM/AFP/Getty Images

The case centered on five teenage boys who were wrongfully accused and convicted of beating and raping a woman in Central Park. Trump found himself embroiled in the matter when he purchased full-page ads, which were printed in several New York City newspapers, that read, "Bring back the death penalty. Bring back our police!"

Even today, Trump defends the position he took on the case, telling CNN Friday, "They admitted they were guilty."

"The police doing the original investigation say they were guilty," he continued. "The fact that that case was settled with so much evidence against them is outrageous. And the woman, so badly injured, will never be the same."

And his argument was much the same in 1989, when he spoke with King about the case.

"I don't see anything inciteful, I am strongly in favor of the death penalty," he said at the time. "I am also in favor of bringing back police forces that can do something instead of turning their back because every quality lawyer that represents people that are trouble — the first thing they do is start shouting police brutality, etc."

Of the ad, Trump said he had "never done anything that's caused a more positive stir," telling King that he received thousands of letters expressing support for the newspaper insert, which he described as "very strong and vocal, they are saying bring back law and order." The billionaire businessman said he had support from 90 percent of the community as well as 40 percent of newspaper columnists.

The five men were exonerated of all charges in 2002, when another man confessed to the crime and DNA evidence corroborated with his confession. Trump, for his part, stood firm, calling the city's $41 million settlement with the men "a disgrace."

"I had some woman the other day stick a microphone in my face — from one of the major networks — [saying], 'Don't you have compassion for these young men' that raped and beat and mugged and everything else," Trump told King. "[A]nd I said, 'Look, this woman was raped, mugged, and thrown off a building — thrown off a building on top of everything else."

He continued, "She's got some major problems to put it mildly. I said, 'Of course I hate these people and let's all hate these people because maybe hate is what we need if we're gonna get something done.'"

Trump said his ads were not intended to seem as if he was "pre-judging" the young men, but were instead supposed to show he favors the death penalty for the teens if they were, in fact, guilty. In addition, the inserts were about supporting the police, he said.

"The problem we have is we don't have any protection for the policeman. The problem with our society is the victim has absolutely no rights and the criminal has unbelievable rights -- unbelievable rights," he told King. "People are tired, sick and tired of what's happening."

After learning Friday that the GOP presidential candidate still believes the five men are guilty, Raymond Santana Jr., one member of the "Central Park Five" who was wrongfully convicted, asked Trump in a tweet, "What more do we have to prove?"

What more do we have to prove? I'm tired of proving our innocence! I don't care what this asshole thinks @realDonaldTrump #centralpark5

— The central park 5 (@santanaraymond) October 7, 2016

(H/T: KFILE)

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