Benjamin Spencer, a Texas man who spent 34 years in prison for a killing he did not commit, was exonerated by a Dallas County judge. He was initially convicted of murder in 1987 for the carjacking and death of Jeffrey Young, but it was later found that prosecution witnesses had given false testimony and evidence had been withheld. Spencer was tried again and convicted of aggravated robbery, but his conviction was overturned earlier this year due to violations of his constitutional rights.
The district attorney’s office found that there was no credible or physical evidence linking Spencer to the crime, and he was released on bond in 2021. His case was eventually dismissed, and he is now eligible for compensation under Texas law for the years he spent wrongfully incarcerated. Spencer expressed his happiness at moving forward, despite not being able to get back the years he lost in prison.
Defense attorney Cheryl Wattley, who has worked on Spencer’s case for over 20 years, praised the efforts of District Attorney John Creuzot in correcting the injustice. Spencer is one of the 60 longest-serving people to be declared innocent, according to The National Registry of Exonerations. Wattley stated that Spencer is focused on living his life honorably and serving as an example for others who may be inspired by his story.
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