Ben Spencer
Appearances
Up First from NPR
Trump And Gaza, Migrants At Guantanamo, USAID Staff On Leave
Are you using this facility? because it has the stain of the name Guantanamo. And of course, the answer is yes.
Up First from NPR
Trump And Gaza, Migrants At Guantanamo, USAID Staff On Leave
Are you using this facility because it has the stain of the name Guantanamo? And of course, the answer is yes. That's exactly why he's attracted to it. he's attracted to it for the same reason that it repels human rights groups.
Up First from NPR
The Luckiest of the Unlucky
I knew that being in a relationship with a husband that wasn't present, she couldn't be too happy like that. In fact, I've been told a number of times that when she would come visit me, that she would cry most of the way home. And I mean, that's just, to me, that wasn't a life for anybody.
Up First from NPR
The Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction
I think it was the Friday before the second trial began. Frank Jackson, who was my attorney at the time, he comes and talks to me in his holdover and he was like, uh, He's like, you know, the state is offering you a 20-year deal, a non-aggravated 20 years if you're signed for it. And I said, signed for it? For what? I said, I didn't do anything.
Up First from NPR
The Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction
He was saying, well, you know, if you take it to trial, they're going to try to give you a life sentence. They're likely to get it. And so I'm like, well, I don't care what they're likely to get. I said, I'm not going to plead guilty to something I didn't do.
Up First from NPR
The Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction
Well, to be honest, after I was sentenced to life, I could not see that. That night, the trial was over kind of late. I was the only one on the floor at the time. I was the only one in the holdover. And it's cold. And to be honest, I really wanted to die. I thought about it. committing suicide while I was in the holdover. And I'd start thinking about, I mean, I have my faith, I have my belief.
Up First from NPR
The Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction
And I was like, well, if I die, if I kill myself, I can't go to heaven, you know? And so that was the only hope I had was I didn't want to go to hell, you know? So I was like, well, I can't do that. And so it was like I began to think about it. I said, well, you know, I didn't commit this offense. The truth is eventually going to come out.
Up First from NPR
The Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction
So I wake up to somebody beating on the door. I get up. And as I'm going to the front door, I can see a bunch of police cars out in front of the house. So I said, I wonder what's going on out here. So I open the door. I see all these cops on the porch. And so this detective, he said, you have any ID? I said, sure. I put the register in my back pocket, pulled out my ID and handed it to him.
Up First from NPR
The Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction
He said, turn around, put your hands on the wall. You're under arrest. I said, under arrest for what? He said, you hear about the white guy they found in the street the other day? I said, yeah, I heard something about it. He said, that's what you're under arrest for, his murder. I said, no. I said, you got the wrong guy. He said, no, we got the right guy.
Up First from NPR
Latest On New Orleans Attack; New Congress Comes Into Session; Carter's Funeral
It ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues.
Up First from NPR
Latest On New Orleans Attack; New Congress Comes Into Session; Carter's Funeral
Every step of it is important historically. It's obviously a very choreographed funeral, and it has many points, and each one of them has a deep significance to the Carters and to the people of Georgia and of the United States that knew him and grew to love him, both as a president and what he did afterwards.
Up First from NPR
Latest On New Orleans Attack; New Congress Comes Into Session; Carter's Funeral
It's the final goodbye, and it's going to be a chance, I think, for the family, you know, having been almost on display for some of this, right? They're there, but it's the official choreographed funeral procession and those points. But back at the home church at Maranatha, it's smaller. You know, it's going to be just family and friends.
Up First from NPR
Latest On New Orleans Attack; New Congress Comes Into Session; Carter's Funeral
They're going to actually get to be there and say goodbye to them.