Massachusetts man convicted of beating young son to death granted parole with conditions

A Massachusetts man who was convicted in the fatal beating of his young son has been granted parole with conditions.

According to the Massachusetts Parole Board, between May 27 and 28, 1983, then 36-year-old Richard Mayes beat his son Lawrence Jackson Ritchon (Onaje) with a split plastic bat, his open hands, and his closed fists, just days before the child’s third birthday. After beating the child, Mayes took him to the bathroom, removed his bloodied clothes, and attempted to clean the blood from them in soap and bleach. Mayes then put the child back into bed. When he went to get Onaje the next morning, he found him lying on the bed “asleep” with a clear wet spot on the bed. Mayes got Onaje out of bed and into the bathroom, where Onaje vomited and went limp. Mayes called Onaje’s mother for help, and the two began to perform CPR on Onaje. When he didn’t respond, Mayes left the apartment to get his cousin. He then told his cousin to drive Onaje and his mother to the hospital. Onaje was not breathing, nor did he have a pulse, when he arrived at the hospital. Mayes remained behind, told the remaining children to stay in their beds, and then went to hide and smoke marijuana in the attic. 

After interviewing Onaje’s mother at the hospital, police went to the apartment and found the three remaining children lying in their beds awake. The children stated that Mayes was the man who hit Onaje with the Wiffle ball bat. Police interviewed other witnesses, including a neighbor, who overheard the beating. While being interviewed at the police station, Mayes confessed to the beating of Onaje and further disclosed that he had been hitting the children for the last two years, including at least one severe incident when he knocked out the three front teeth of another son. Onaje died four days later, on May 31, 1983, having suffered fatal brain hemorrhaging from multiple blows to his skull. At the time of the medical examination, Onaje’s body was covered with numerous bruises to the chest, stomach, back and legs. 

On November 2, 1983, after a jury trial in Berkshire Superior Court, Mayes was convicted of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Parole was denied after an initial hearing in 1998. Mayes waived his 2003 review hearing. Parole was denied after review hearings in 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2023. 

With the Board concluding by unanimous decision that Mayes has demonstrated a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society, they noted that Mayes has been sober for 30 years, and his last disciplinary report was 12 years ago. He has remained employed, has strong family support, has taken accountability for his offense, and has addressed the concerns of the Board. Mayes’ support system testified (and via written submission) that they will assist him with his re-entry needs. The Board also considered Mayes’ current age and medical needs in rendering its decision. The Board also noted that Mayes states he has continued to mentor younger inmates, including assisting them with applying for Pell grants. The Board considered testimony in support of parole from Mayes’s daughter and also considered testimony in opposition to parole from Berkshire County Assistant District Attorney Sara Swan.

Among the conditions of Mayes parole include: Waive work for SSI; Must be home between 10PM & 6ÁM or PO’s discretion; Electronic monitoring for 6 months; Must take prescribed medication: if prescribed; Supervise for drugs, testing in accordance with Agency policy; Supervise for liquor abstinence, testing in accordance with Agency policy; Report to assigned MA Parole Office on day of release; Must have mental health counseling for adjustment; Residential Program: CRJ;