Stewart v. Chairman of the Massachusetts Parole Board

In 1974, Robert E. Stewart was convicted of second degree murder and armed assault in a dwelling based upon occurrences in 1972 as a result of which he is serving two concurrent life sentences. He became eligible for parole on his life sentence for armed assault in 1989, but after a public hearing before the Massachusetts Parole Board (parole board), at which members of the murder victim’s family appeared in opposition, his parole was denied.

Before 1982, G. L. c. 127, § 133A, required the parole board to hold a public hearing within sixty days before the expiration of fifteen years of any…