Spencer, 56, was convicted of aggravated robbery in 1988. Author: Jake Harris Updated: 9:37 PM CST March 11, 2021
DALLAS
Updated Thursday, March 11 with more information about Spencer s sentence and quotes from Spencer s mother.
Judge Lela Mays did not sign the order to release Benjamine Spencer Thursday, one day after The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office recommended Spencer s 1988 aggravated robbery conviction be vacated.
Family and advocates say they aren’t happy. Spencer has spent more than three decades in prison after being wrongly convicted.
Spencer has been in prison since 1988 for the robbery and murder of Jeffery Young. He was first convicted of murder in 1987 and got a 35-year prison sentence. That case was overturned and the court granted him a new trial.
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Gov. Kay Ivey offers $5,000 rewards in 2 unsolved Selma homicides
Updated Feb 27, 2021;
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Gov. Kay Ivey has issued $5,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction in two unsolved Selma killings.
Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson announced the rewards Friday in the 2015 slaying 37-year-old Taffine Smith Berry and the 2020 slaying of 48-year-old Christopher Murphy.
“Law enforcement and the families are very thankful for the governor taking this action,’ Jackson said. “Hopefully it will help brig forth witnesses or evidence to help solve these cases.’
Berry and her husband, Tra Berry, were wounded by gunfire on March 15, 2015. Authorities said the victims were at a social gathering at a business at the intersection of Marie Foster Street and L.L. Anderson Avenue and were leaving when the shooting happened.
Introduction
Greetings, Longhorn Nation! I’m Jay Hartzell, and since last September, I’ve had the incredible honor of serving as the 30
th president of The University of Texas at Austin. Each year, the president reports to the faculty on the state of the university. For me, in my first year in the role, it’s a chance to talk about my vision for UT and what it means to be a Longhorn. In a normal year, I would give this message in person. But as you know, this past year has been anything but normal. So, we’re doing this a different way just as we’ve been adapting and adjusting for several months now.