In part two of our story about Ben Spencer, a man sentenced to life in prison for a crime he said he didn't commit, former NPR correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty begins her own investigation. She returns to the scene of the crime and reinterviews witnesses. Hagerty finds new evidence of Spencer's innocence. And yet, the courts refuse to release him. In this episode of The Sunday Story from Up First, a look at what finally happens to a man who pinned his hopes on the idea that the truth would eventually set him free.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Full Episode
I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is a Sunday Story from Up First, where we go beyond the news of the day to bring you one big story. We're continuing with the story of Ben Spencer, a man who has been fighting what he maintains is his wrongful conviction and sentenced to life in prison. If you haven't listened to the first part of the series, please go back and listen to that.
That's going to give you all the background that you need. Now, Barbara, as you explained in the first episode, the 1990s were this pivotal time in the American justice system. It was the tough on crime era, but it was also this time of technological change, including the arrival of DNA testing, which to date has helped to free about thirty six hundred innocent prisoners.
You told us, however, DNA didn't help Ben Spencer because police didn't obtain any DNA from the crime scene. So while there was new hope for many wrongfully convicted, there wasn't that hope for Ben.
That's right, Aisha. And on top of this, in the 1990s, Ben suffered a lot of personal losses. I mean, think about it. He lost his freedom. He lost his future. He lost his family. When Ben was arrested, his wife was seven months pregnant. So he lost the chance to raise his son. But for him, the worst thing was the toll that his life sentence took on his wife, Deborah.
I talked to her, and she told me it was simply agonizing.
I remember times he would call, and I would just cry on the phone. He'd say, don't cry. It's going to be okay. He would always tell me, you know, I know I'm here. I want you to live your life. I want you to do what makes you happy. And, you know, I'll be okay.
So in 1993, he asked Deborah to divorce him so that she could move on with her life. And after a couple of years of resisting, she did. Ben said she finally agreed.
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.
You know, that was very unselfish of him, but so painful. And he really lost this lifeline, right, with who was his wife.
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