A man initially sentenced to death in 1975 for the rape and murder of a 17-year-old Worcester girl after they got in a car crash has seen his case reconsidered more than once.

But even after 50 years of incarceration, the Massachusetts parole board is not yet ready to grant his release.

Stephen Richmond was convicted of first-degree murder on June 11, 1975 and sentenced to death. He was also convicted on one count of rape and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Richmond successfully appealed those convictions and had another trial in Worcester Superior Court. He was again convicted on those charges in March 1977 — but was sentenced to concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Richmond had already been convicted in two additional, separate sexu

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