#572 Guest Host Kemba Smith with Leon Benson
From Wrongful Conviction by Lava for Good Podcasts
April 30, 2026 · 44 min · Episode 572
About this episode
Kemba Smith interviews Leon Benson about his wrongful conviction for murder based on flawed eyewitness testimony.
On August 8th, 1998, 25-year-old Kasey Schoen was shot and killed while sitting in his car in Indianapolis, IN. A few days later, a man approached officers and told them that he saw 22-year-old Leon Benson shoot the victim. A single eyewitness identified Leon as the shooter out of a photo lineup, despite the fact that he did not match the eyewitness's initial description of the shooter. Leon was ultimately sentenced to 60 years in prison for the murder, even though there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime and the main witness against him tried to recant their testimony. Guest host, Kemba Smith, talks to Leon Benson and Lara Bazelon, Leon's attorney. To learn more and get involved, please visit: Organization of Exonerees The Streets Don't Love You Back Go to Die Jim Crow Records to support prison impacted musicians, including Leon Benson's (El Bently 448) album "Innocent Born Guilty" . Petition for Demetrius Burks www.kembamovie.com https://www.kembasmith.com https://kembasmithfoundation.org/ Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. We have worked hard to ensure…
People in this episode
Host: Kemba Smith
Guest: Leon Benson
Topics covered
- wrongful conviction
- eyewitness testimony
- criminal justice
- prison reform
- exonerees
Keywords
- wrongful conviction
- Leon Benson
- Kemba Smith
- eyewitness
- criminal justice
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Organization of Exonerees, The Streets Don't Love You Back, Die Jim Crow Records
Books & works: Innocent Born Guilty
Places: Indianapolis, IN
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