One of the members of the so-called Central Park Five is calling out Donald Trump, saying that the President’s insistence that he waited to comment on the tragic events in Charlottesville until he had “the facts” is a disingenuous excuse.

Mr Trump claimed that he didn’t “want to go quickly, and just make a statement for the sake of making a political statement."

Yusef Salaam, one of five black men who was sent to prison — and later exonerated — for the high profile rape of a white woman in New York’s Central Park in 1989, says he has a point. It’s important to have a measured and reasoned response that takes in evidence before determining culpability after a tragedy. But, for Mr Salaam, there’s a problem with Mr Trump’s record.

“I’m one of the Central Park Five. When we were falsely accused of sexual assault, Trump had no qualms about jumping to conclusions,” Mr Salaam wrote in an op-ed for the Miami Herald.

"I could hardly believe his hypicrisy," Mr Salaam wrote of Mr Trump's statements about Charlottesville.

Mr Salaam and the other four members of the Central Park Five found themselves caught in a tumultuous public storm after that rape, which left a 28-year-old woman nearly dead. But, while the then-young men tried to clear their names — and other evidence appeared to indicate they may not have been culpable — it wasn’t until 13 years in prison that the young men were exonerated when DNA evidence from another man who confessed to the rape came forward.

Mr Trump — a private citizen at the time of their initial trial — played a role in the media and public witch hunt that led to their wrongful imprisonment. Although not personally involved, Mr Trump bought up ad space in newspapers that all but named the five young men, calling them “muggers and murderers,” and saying they “should be forced to suffer and when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes.”

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

“Trump is many things,” Mr Salaam wrote. “A narcissist, a bigot, a questionable businessman and, so far, a terrible president. I know one thing firsthand. He is perfectly capable of spouting off before he has all the facts.”

Last week, Mr Trump attempted to justify his delayed response to the violence in Charllottesville, Virginia, during a spur-of-the-moment press conference with reporters. The President insisted that he had waited after an initial statement condemning violence, because he wanted to make sure he ha all the facts before commenting. Mr Trump was criticised for this response repeatedly, with observers pointing out that the President frequently comments on issues before all of the intelligence on the matter is available.