Indianapolis, IN
One year after exoneration: Leon Benson returns to Indianapolis for 'Rebirth Celebration'
INDIANAPOLIS — It’s an incredible story we first brought to you a year ago.
Leon Benson was exonerated from prison after being wrongfully convicted of murder more than 26-years-ago. On Friday, he returned to Indianapolis for a “Rebirth Celebration.”
“I feel so blessed after coming out of this. I could almost cry tears of joy, I’m trying to save them,” said Benson.
Benson was filled with emotion ahead of Friday’s “Rebirth Celebration” at the Indianapolis Liberation Center.
WRTV
“I was in the womb of prison for 25 years, so I was rebirthed. To come back here and to see this, I really feel a deep sense of home,” he said.
On March 9, 2023, Benson became the first person exonerated with the help of the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office Conviction Integrity unit.
Benson’s first-degree murder conviction was vacated by a Marion County judge after a joint re-investigation by the University of San Francisco School of Law Racial Justice Clinic (USFCA) and the Conviction Integrity Unit.
“This is an anniversary. I was liberated, exonerated. Exempt. This is restorative justice,” said Benson.
WRTV
At just 22-years-old, Benson was wrongfully convicted for the 1998 murder of Kasey Shoen, who was shot five times while in his car in the 1300 block of North Pennsylvania Avenue.
According to the USFCA, the case against Benson rested on a cross-racial identification made in the near darkness from 150 feet by a frightened white newspaper carrier and the equally questionable identification by a man from the neighborhood with a history of mental illness and who held a grudge against Benson.
PREVIOUS | Man released from prison 25 years after murder for wrongful conviction (wrtv.com)
“A voice came to me and said ‘Leon, Kasey Schoen is gone, his family don’t have him. I know you’re innocent, but you are becoming selfish right now in your own pain. You got a chance even though you in the lowest part of the prison,’” Benson said Friday.
10 of Benson’s nearly 25 years in prison were spent in solitary confinement, but even as he talked about his time behind bars on Friday, Benson was anything but bitter.
WRTV
“You can’t be bitter if you’re grateful, they just don’t co-exist,” he said.
This message fills the pages of his new book launched at Friday’s celebration Letters of Gratitude: I Am Because We Are” (Iskra Books, 2024).
“I wrote the letters of gratitude three months before I got out,” Benson said. “I had to put that in a book to let people know that I acknowledge you. That I didn’t do that alone.”
Benson says he’s grateful, for so many that stood by his side — his sister, children, his mentors behind bars, and Kasey’s sister, Kolleen Schoen-Bunch, who still supported Benson through her own family’s pain.
“It’s getting justice for Kasey so he can rest in peace because he hasn’t for 25 years since the wrong person was charged,” said Schoen-Bunch. “We just want justice for everyone. We can’t give back to Leon what was taken from him, but we can try to make his life better.”
wrtv
A better life now with a bigger mission.
“I would be less than who I am if I didn’t come put a light on it and represent those people who are still out there. Those brothers that are behind walls, that’s yelling out, that’s not being heard, who has been invisible. I’m no longer invisible. My chain is gone,” said Benson.
Friday’s celebration also included a panel with Benson and others, including Schoen-Bunch; Kelly Bauder of the CIU; family members of the incarcerated; Benson’s daughter, Kelly Bluitt; along with academics, lawyers, and community organizers involved in his case.
WRTV
Benson’s monograph also launched Friday.
His book is available at all major retailers.
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The 2026 NCAA Tournament is nearing its conclusion, with the Final Four set to take place in Indianapolis this Saturday. The matchups feature a mix of familiar and new faces, including Arizona making its first appearance in the national semifinals since 2001.
Why it matters
The Final Four is the most anticipated event of the college basketball calendar, drawing massive viewership and setting the stage for an exciting national championship game. This year’s tournament has featured several Cinderella stories and unexpected contenders, adding to the intrigue.
The details
The two national semifinal games will be played on Saturday, April 4th. The first matchup at 3:00 PM local time will feature Arizona taking on the winner of the East Regional. The second game at 5:30 PM will pit the winner of the Midwest Regional against the victor of the West Regional.
- The Final Four will take place on Saturday, April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis.
- The national championship game is scheduled for Monday, April 6, 2026.
The players
Arizona
The Wildcats are making their first Final Four appearance since 2001, led by a talented roster and head coach Tommy Lloyd in his third season.
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What they’re saying
“I’m a simple guy, just trying to lead my team to the national championship. The Final Four is the ultimate stage, and we’re excited for the challenge ahead.”
— Tommy Lloyd, Head Coach, Arizona
What’s next
Fans can tune in to the national semifinal games on CBS this Saturday, with the national championship game set for Monday night. Ticket sales and viewing parties are expected to be at a fever pitch as the tournament reaches its climax.
The takeaway
This year’s Final Four features a mix of traditional powers and upstart contenders, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Fans are in for a treat as college basketball’s biggest stars take the court in Indianapolis.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The HBCU All-Star Game Experience tips off Friday in Indianapolis, beginning a weekend of events that includes educational fairs, social justice panels and an all-star basketball game.
The multi-day event is centered at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the Madam Walker Legacy Center, with activities scheduled through Sunday afternoon.
The experience is designed to celebrate the historical and contemporary role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in sports and civil rights. Beyond the athletic competition, the event aims to empower student-athletes through conversations about education, community development, and activism.
The weekend began Friday morning with a college admissions and scholarship fair at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
The fair, which started at 9 a.m., provided resources for prospective students and their families. Following the educational events, the focus shifts to a “social justice and civil rights luncheon and panel” scheduled for Saturday.
The luncheon and panel will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday at the Madam Walker Legacy Center. Mawuli Mel Davis and Sean Johnson are among those participating in the discussions and joined Daybreak on Friday to discuss the event.
Mel Davis explained that the inclusion of social justice topics is a direct reflection of the history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“We have seen the role of HBCUs in the social justice work since the inception of HBCUs,” Davis said. “And so we thought it was absolutely appropriate to have a social justice, civil rights conversation for our student athletes.”
Davis added that the event serves to remind young athletes of their ability to affect society.
“This will be a way of pouring into them and reminding them of their power as student athletes and as young people to really impact how things are happening in our community and in our society right now.”
The panel discussions are divided into two segments:
- Panel 1 – Civic Engagement, Public Safety & Police Accountability
- Panel 2 – Educate, Employ, Empower — Youth, Education & Workforce Pathways as Civic Power
Johnson said one session will focus on education, while the other addresses community development and the intimate nature of the HBCU experience.
“We want to make sure folks, again, understand the importance of HBCUs and the role that HBCUs have played in athletics,” Johnson said. “We see all across the sports spectrum that you see athletes that come from our historically black colleges. And we want to make sure we continue to uplift that.”
The panel features several prominent speakers, including Dr. Ricky Jones from the University of Louisville, along with Barbara Arnwine and Daryl Jones from the Transformative Justice Coalition. Local organizers will also join the conversation, which is free and open to the public.
Founder Travis Williams and Kya Williams established the event to provide a comprehensive look at HBCU culture. Johnson noted that the founders believe the experience should be “bigger than the game.”
Sunday’s schedule returns to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for a black business vendor showcase starting at 12 p.m. This event leads into the final athletic competition of the weekend.
The HBCU All-Star Game will tip off at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Corteva Coliseum. The game features top senior All-Star players from across the country and will be broadcast live on WISH-TV.
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