Cleveland mayor defends hiring convicted felon Lance Mason, says murder of former judge’s wife could not have been foreseen

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson denied that there was any kind of political favor involved when he hired former Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Lance Mason for a job with the city.

The hiring came this spring, several weeks after Mason was released from prison for a vicious and felonious attack on his wife, Aisha.

The former judge was taken into custody over the weekend for the death of his wife. The mayor said the tragic events of the weekend had nothing to do with his job with the city and that the events could not have been foreseen. He also offered his sincerest condolences to their children.

In 2017, the Ohio Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Conduct unanimously concluded in Mason’s case:

• “[Mason] has failed to ensure or to provide assurances that the conduct will not happen again” 
• “[Mason] has not fully engaged in the redemptive process”

Mason has not been charged with murder, however on Monday morning, he was charged with a felony for hitting a Shaker Heights Police cruiser and injuring an officer while fleeing the scene.

Jackson met with Cleveland 19 Reporter Paul Orlousky in a one-on-one interview Monday morning.

The mayor said Mason’s hiring came under a second chance program to give people with felony records a job in areas of the city where appropriate.

Jackson said Mason applied, along with other candidates, and won the competition for the job.

He denied being friends with Mason other than knowing him through political events. The mayor has supported Mason’s election bids in the past.

Jackson said Mason did a good job in his employment with the city working to recruit minority citizens for jobs and also working with minority businesses.

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