Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, a Conviction, and the Fight to Redeem American Justice By Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Bringing Ben Home is a compelling exploration of the American legal system's failures and the growing movement to make it more equitable, told through the harrowing story of Ben Spencer, a Black man who spent thirty years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

In 1987, at just twenty-two years old, Ben Spencer was wrongfully convicted of murdering Jeffrey Young, a white businessman in Dallas. Despite Spencer's insistence that he was innocent, the Texas legal system, marred by shoddy police work, paid witnesses, and prosecutorial misconduct, sentenced him to life in prison. For decades, Spencer fought to prove his innocence, but his efforts were continually dismissed by a system more concerned with expedience than justice.

It wasn’t until 2021, after years of work by independent investigators, new witness testimonies, and a change in leadership within the Dallas District Attorney’s office, that a Texas judge finally acknowledged Spencer’s innocence, leading to his release after three decades behind bars.

Award-winning journalist Barbara Bradley Hagerty delves deeply into Spencer’s case, examining the systemic issues that allowed his wrongful conviction to occur and persist. Through extensive interviews, police files, and court records, Hagerty paints a vivid picture of a broken system. Yet, Bringing Ben Home is also a story of hope, as it highlights the efforts in Texas and other states to address and prevent wrongful convictions, aiming to make the legal process more just for everyone.

By weaving together Spencer’s personal journey and the broader legal reforms underway, Bringing Ben Home offers a powerful, enraging, and ultimately hopeful account of one man's fight for justice and the systemic changes needed to protect the innocent.