Convict who sued Mass. Parole Board over delay in hearings to be released

A man who sued the Massachusetts Parole Board over delays in hearings was granted parole this week after serving over 25 years of his original life sentence for “orchestrating” a fatal shooting nearly 30 years ago.

Robert Francis was 19 years old in February 1995 when he organized the shooting of a rival gang in Springfield that resulted in the death of Carlos Falcon and injuries to three others, according to the parole board’s findings . Francis was the “chief enforcer” in his gang, and at his instruction, two other members carried out the shooting on State Street while he stayed in an apartment.

A Hampden County Superior Court jury found Francis guilty of accessory before the fact to first-degree murder, three counts of accessory before the fact to armed assault with intent to murder