CLEVELAND -- The city of Cleveland has come under fire this week after one of its former employees was arrested on accusations of killing his ex-wife last weekend.
Lance Mason, the city's former director of minority business development, was arrested Saturday after police say he stabbed his ex-wife, Aisha Fraser, 44.
Mason, who was once a Cuyahoga County judge and a state senator, then tried to flee the scene in Fraser's SUV before ramming a Shaker Heights police car.
Mason, 51, was arrested a short time later. The city fired him Saturday.
Mason has not been formally charged in Fraser's death, though felonious assault charges were filed after an officer suffered rib and leg injuries when his cruiser was struck Saturday.
It wasn't the first time Mason had shown abusive behavior against Fraser. He pleaded guilty to attempted felonious assault and domestic violence charges against her in 2015 and served nine months in prison.
Police say Mason punched his wife 20 times and slammed her head against a car dashboard five times as they drove with their children. His wife’s injuries required reconstructive surgery. According to court documents, Fraser sued him in civil court and was awarded a $150,000 judgment. She later filed for divorce.
Mason was removed from his judge seat roughly a month after the August 2014 incident. His status as a convicted felon prohibits him from serving as an Ohio judge in the future, and the Ohio Supreme Court has also indefinitely prohibited him from practicing law.
However, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson hired Mason in 2017 to serve as the city’s director of minority business administration.
Jackson defended that decision on Monday during an interview with WKYC's Tom Meyer, saying Mason "won the process" when he was hired.
Jackson insisted he was not friends with Mason, despite their political connections. He said he believes in second chances and that Mason was hired because he was the best candidate from a field of 16 applicants. Jackson also declined to apologize to Fraser's family.
“No, I am not apologizing to the family. I will tell the family I am greatly sorry for their loss," he said.
Mason is not the first of Jackson's hires to have a criminal record. Jackson told Meyer on Monday that he has in the past hired a number of felons, even those who have committed violent crimes such as homicide. He refused to identify the workers when asked by Meyer and instead urged Channel 3 News to make a public records request. The news station did so Tuesday.
Here are other current and former high-ranking hires within Jackson's city hall to possess a criminal record:
- James Box: Hired as Jackson's project director to the city's community relations department in 1999; Had an extensive criminal history when hired and was indicted on charges of attempted rape, kidnapping, gross sexual imposition and more. He pleaded to reduced charges and resigned from his position.
- Christopher Hetzel: Hired as the assistant law director with a lengthy history of alcohol-related arrests, all misdemeanors.
- Frank Jackson, Jr.: Mayor Jackson's grandson; Works for the city's sewer department; Arrested and accused for illegal gun possession.
- Nicole Junior: Hired in 2017 to head the community police commission; Indicted on charges of forging receipts and records related to her relocation expenses. She resigned and the case is still pending.
- Lance Mason: Former judge convicted of assaulting his wife; Hired as a minority business development administrator in 2017 and is now accused of killing his ex-wife. He is currently facing felonious assault charges for ramming a police officer's vehicle in attempt to flee an alleged crime scene.
- Antonio Peterson: Hired as a seasonal city employee; Founding leader of the notorious Heartless Felons gang.
- Sabra Pierce Scott: Hired first in 1982 as Jackson's campaign boss; Became city council member before resigning in 2009; She was convicted on federal bribery charges in 2011 and hired by Jackson as a deputy program manager in 2014. Jackson named her the city's first Quality Control and Performance Management Director last year.
- Dedrick Stephens: Hired in 2001, now serves as commissioner of the licensing and assessment department; He's been arrested for domestic violence and soliciting a prostitute during a police sting, and pleaded to reduced charges.
