Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Yeah. Yeah, his name is Michael Hubbard, and during his reinvestigation, Jim McCluskey talked to two of Hubbard's friends, and they told him that Hubbard had confessed to robbing and killing Jeffrey Young. He described the entire assault. In fact, in the 1990s, Harper used a strikingly similar M.O. to attack other victims.

Yeah. Yeah, his name is Michael Hubbard, and during his reinvestigation, Jim McCluskey talked to two of Hubbard's friends, and they told him that Hubbard had confessed to robbing and killing Jeffrey Young. He described the entire assault. In fact, in the 1990s, Harper used a strikingly similar M.O. to attack other victims.

He would wait outside of the office for these businessmen to come out on weekends or on nights. He would hit them over the head with a bat, steal the cash and jewelry. In fact, he was actually called the Batman. And Hubbard eventually landed in prison for those later attacks. He attacked 10 men. And he got a life sentence. And he's still in prison.

He would wait outside of the office for these businessmen to come out on weekends or on nights. He would hit them over the head with a bat, steal the cash and jewelry. In fact, he was actually called the Batman. And Hubbard eventually landed in prison for those later attacks. He attacked 10 men. And he got a life sentence. And he's still in prison.

He would wait outside of the office for these businessmen to come out on weekends or on nights. He would hit them over the head with a bat, steal the cash and jewelry. In fact, he was actually called the Batman. And Hubbard eventually landed in prison for those later attacks. He attacked 10 men. And he got a life sentence. And he's still in prison.

And so Jim gathered all of this evidence and presented it to a Dallas judge.

And so Jim gathered all of this evidence and presented it to a Dallas judge.

And so Jim gathered all of this evidence and presented it to a Dallas judge.

Yeah, you know, and it's a really fascinating story. I've never heard of this happening before. Jim delivered the evidence to Rick Magnus, who had just been elected judge in Dallas County. And Magnus began to read the documents, and he actually shut down his courtroom for a week just to immerse himself in the case. And then in 2007...

Yeah, you know, and it's a really fascinating story. I've never heard of this happening before. Jim delivered the evidence to Rick Magnus, who had just been elected judge in Dallas County. And Magnus began to read the documents, and he actually shut down his courtroom for a week just to immerse himself in the case. And then in 2007...

Yeah, you know, and it's a really fascinating story. I've never heard of this happening before. Jim delivered the evidence to Rick Magnus, who had just been elected judge in Dallas County. And Magnus began to read the documents, and he actually shut down his courtroom for a week just to immerse himself in the case. And then in 2007...

A few months later, he called a hearing, and Judge Magnus essentially relitigated the case. He questioned the police. He grilled the witnesses. He also brought Michael Hubbard to court, and Hubbard actually claimed the fifth. Judge Magnus goes back, considers it, and the next year, in 2008, he arrived at a really surprising conclusion, one that he told me about a decade later.

A few months later, he called a hearing, and Judge Magnus essentially relitigated the case. He questioned the police. He grilled the witnesses. He also brought Michael Hubbard to court, and Hubbard actually claimed the fifth. Judge Magnus goes back, considers it, and the next year, in 2008, he arrived at a really surprising conclusion, one that he told me about a decade later.

A few months later, he called a hearing, and Judge Magnus essentially relitigated the case. He questioned the police. He grilled the witnesses. He also brought Michael Hubbard to court, and Hubbard actually claimed the fifth. Judge Magnus goes back, considers it, and the next year, in 2008, he arrived at a really surprising conclusion, one that he told me about a decade later.

So Judge Magnus felt that Ben was basically caught in a trap.

So Judge Magnus felt that Ben was basically caught in a trap.

So Judge Magnus felt that Ben was basically caught in a trap.

That's right. This is not a Hollywood ending, at least not at this point. So in Texas, a judge can't just release a prisoner if he believes he's innocent. It requires the approval of the high court in Texas called the Court of Criminal Appeals. So Ben had to wait in prison for three years. for his decision. And then in 2011, the Court of Criminal Appeals made their ruling.

That's right. This is not a Hollywood ending, at least not at this point. So in Texas, a judge can't just release a prisoner if he believes he's innocent. It requires the approval of the high court in Texas called the Court of Criminal Appeals. So Ben had to wait in prison for three years. for his decision. And then in 2011, the Court of Criminal Appeals made their ruling.

That's right. This is not a Hollywood ending, at least not at this point. So in Texas, a judge can't just release a prisoner if he believes he's innocent. It requires the approval of the high court in Texas called the Court of Criminal Appeals. So Ben had to wait in prison for three years. for his decision. And then in 2011, the Court of Criminal Appeals made their ruling.