Bringing Ben Home: A Wrongful Murder Conviction, A Judicial Exoneration but Continued Incarceration?

from Justice Matters with Glenn Kirschner

Author Barbara Bradley Hagerty has written a riveting and important new book about the wrongful murder conviction of a man named Ben Spencer. Ben's experience in the criminal justice system and his decades-long struggle for justice expose the desperate need for criminal justice reform.In her book, "Brining Ben Home: A Murder, a Conviction, and the Fight to Redeem American Justice", Barbara tells Ben's story, shining the harsh light of truth on a system that often seems more intent on closing cases and winning convictions than complying with the legal and constitutional rights of defendants.I had the privilege of providing a blurb for "Bringing Ben Home":"As someone who spent three decades as a trial court prosecutor, I was horrified by the casual callousness that led to many of the wrongful convictions detailed in this important, beautiful, and infuriating work."To purchase "Bringing Ben Home": https://a.co/d/ab3BknOEvents for Ben Spencer and Barb Bradley Hagerty: March 15 and 16, 2025: Tucson Festival of Books (Barb only)1209 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721Event #1 March 15: 11:30 True Crime: The Path to Prison and from PrisonLocation: Student Union Santa RitaDescription: True crime authors Lisa Belkin and Barbara Bradley Hagerty will a discuss a caseof one man being murdered ... and another of a man who was wrongly convicted of murder.Event #2: March 16: 2:30-3:30 True Crime: Exploring the Criminal MindLocation: Integrated Learning Center Room 150Description: Why were highway serial killers so prolific? Why did investigators lie to convict aninnocent man? What led to the cocaine boom - and bust? March 19, 2025: Notre Dame law school. Time TBA1100 Eck Hall of LawNotre Dame, IN 46556See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What this episode covers

Author Barbara Bradley Hagerty has written a riveting and important new book about the wrongful murder conviction of a man named Ben Spencer. Ben's experience in the criminal justice system and his decades-long struggle for justice expose the desperate need for criminal justice reform.In her book, "Brining Ben Home: A Murder, a Conviction, and the Fight to Redeem American Justice", Barbara tells Ben's story, shining the harsh light of truth on a system that often seems more intent on closing cases and winning convictions than complying with the legal and constitutional rights of defendants.I had the privilege of providing a blurb for "Bringing Ben Home":"As someone who spent three decades as a trial court prosecutor, I was horrified by the casual callousness that led to many of the wrongful convictions detailed in this important, beautiful, and infuriating work."To purchase "Bringing Ben Home": https://a.co/d/ab3BknOEvents for Ben Spencer and Barb Bradley Hagerty: March 15 and 16, 2025: Tucson Festival of Books (Barb only)1209 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721Event #1 March 15: 11:30 True Crime: The Path to Prison and from PrisonLocation: Student Union Santa RitaDescription: True crime authors Lisa Belkin and Barbara Bradley Hagerty will a discuss a caseof one man being murdered ... and another of a man who was wrongly convicted of murder.Event #2: March 16: 2:30-3:30 True Crime: Exploring the Criminal MindLocation: Integrated Learning Center Room 150Description: Why were highway serial killers so prolific? Why did investigators lie to convict aninnocent man? What led to the cocaine boom - and bust? March 19, 2025: Notre Dame law school. Time TBA1100 Eck Hall of LawNotre Dame, IN 46556 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.