In 1988, Ben Spencer was sentenced to life in prison for a murder and robbery he did not commit. He spent 34 years wrongfully imprisoned. Now, Ben has teamed up with award-winning journalist Barbara Bradley Hagerty to share his story.

Join us on November 18, 2024 in St. Louis, MO to hear more about Ben’s story. Both events are free and open to the public. You can RSVP for the evening conversation at One Family Church here. If you have questions, please contact eden.sung@legalvocation.org.

A Wrongful Conviction.

A Life Sentence.

A Story of Injustice and Redemption.

Location: Bryan Cave Moot Court Room, Washington University School of Law (1 Brookings Dr, St. Louis, MO 63130) . Parking instructions can be found here.

Time: 12:00 PM on November 18, 2024

Details: Join us for a conversation between Ben and Barbara, moderated by Prof. John Inazu. This event is open to the public. Pizza lunch will be provided.

Event Details

In 1988, Ben Spencer was wrongfully arrested for robbery and murder. Newlywed and with his first child on the way, Ben was sentenced to life in prison, despite no physical evidence tying him to the crime. He maintained his innocence the whole time. In 2000, Centurion Ministries became involved in Ben’s case and worked tirelessly toward his exoneration. An exhaustive investigation brought to light false and incentivized witness testimony.

Ben spent 34 years in prison before he was released in 2021. During his decades of incarceration, Ben was sustained by his faith and the unwavering support of his family. In May of 2024, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals fully exonerated Ben. Since his release, Ben has returned to work and focused on reconnecting with his family.  Ben takes every opportunity to share his story with the hope of inspiring others.

You can also learn more about Ben’s story in Barbara’s latest book, now available for purchase.

Read and hear more about Ben and Barbara’s journey with:

• Ben's interview with Ailsa Chang at NPR's All Things Considered

• Barb's interview with Ailsa Chang

• Ben and Barb on Amanpour & Company (CNN and PBS)

• Barb's Atlantic reflections

Barbara Bradley Hagerty is an award-winning journalist at The Atlantic and formerly of National Public Radio. She is also the author of the New York Times–bestselling books Fingerprints of God and Life Reimagined. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, and The Christian Science Monitor.

She encountered Ben’s case in 2017 while writing a piece for The Atlantic, and she then continued to investigate Ben’s story and advocate for his exoneration. Her latest book, Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, a Conviction, and the Fight to Redeem American Justice chronicles Ben’s journey through the American justice system.

You can learn more about Barb here.

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