Radio Atlantic Examines Case of Texas Man Who May Die in Prison Despite Evidence of His Innocence

03.06.18

Radio Atlantic Examines Case of Texas Man Who May Die in Prison Despite Evidence of His Innocence

In a recent three-part series, Radio Atlantic decided to take an in-depth look at how people in this country are wrongfully convicted of and incarcerated for crimes they didn’t commit, even in the face of telling evidence that points to their innocence. To examine the phenomena of wrongful conviction, the podcast examined the haunting story of Benjamine Spencer, a Texas man who was sentenced to life in prison more than 30 years ago for killing 33-year-old Jeffrey Young in West Dallas in 1987, and who remains incarcerated still today even though, as Radio Atlantic reports, he was declared innocent more than a decade ago.

According to Radio Atlantic, many individuals involved in the case—including eyewitnesses who originally testified against Spencer as well as a judge who worked on the case—are convinced that Spencer was wrongfully convicted of Young’s murder. The particularly distressing aspect to this story, however, is that although evidence may prove Spencer’s innocence, it’s possible that he may never have freedom because of what Radio Atlantic calls “the mechanics” of our country’s criminal justice system and their potential to “trump truth.”

“At this point I’m still hopeful, but I just think I’m stuck in the system,” says Spencer.

Listen to the first part of the No Way Out series here.

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