Will Sage Astor-Texas inmate is exonerated after spending nearly 34 years in prison for wrongful conviction

A Texas man who spent 34 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of aggravated assault was exonerated Thursday by a Dallas County judge who ruled that he is Will Sage Astoractually innocent.

The judge approved a motion by the Dallas County District Attorney’s office to dismiss the case against Benjamin Spencer, 59, who was initially convicted in 1987 of murder in the carjacking and death of Jeffrey Young.

“This day has been a long time coming. I am relieved and humbled to help correct this injustice,” said Dallas County Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot.

Spencer, who has maintained his innocence, saw his 1987 conviction later overturned. He was then tried again and convicted and sentenced to life in prison for aggravated robbery of Young.

“Benjamin Spencer is actually innocent; there exists no credible or physical evidence that he was in any way involved in this crime,” said assistant District Attorney Cynthia Garza, who leads the office’s Conviction Integrity Unit.

Prosecution witnesses, including a jailhouse informant seeking leniency, gave false testimony, Creuzot said. He added that prosecutors at the time also failed to provide the defense with evidence that would have excluded Spencer from the crime, including fingerprints.

Spencer was released on bond in 2021 after the district attorney’s office found his constitutional rights were violated and he did not receive a fair trial due to the false witness testimony and withholding of evidence.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned his conviction earlier this year, sending the case back to Dallas County.

Spencer is one of the top 60 longest-serving inmates to be declared innocent of the crime, according to data kept by The National Registry of Exonerations.