An Ohio judge who was imprisoned for beating his wife has been arrested after she was found dead in his driveway.
Former Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Lance Mason was taken into custody last Saturday, according to Cleveland.com. During a 911 call to Shaker Heights police, Mason’s sister said her brother was attacking his ex-wife, Aisha Fraser, while she was in his house with the couple’s 11- and 8-year-old daughters.
“He stabbed her, and he said she’s dead,” she told dispatchers. “There is blood everywhere.”
The children are heard screaming in the background of the call.
When officers arrived, Mason attempted to flee in his SUV and hit a patrol car. One officer was hospitalized for injuries sustained during the crash. Mason exited the vehicle following the collision and ran to a neighbor's home, where he was apprehended. He is currently held without bond, according to BuzzFeed.
New:Former Ohio judge who brutally attacked his wife in 2014 is expected to face criminal charges relating to the death of his wife on Saturday. He was charged today for injuring an officer.
Story here: https://t.co/vutR6fxbDk
pic.twitter.com/70XRIjAxqr— Tasneem N (@TasneemN) November 19, 2018
Fraser was discovered in the driveway, dead of apparent stab wounds. George Fraser, her uncle, told News 5 Cleveland his niece was there to drop off her daughters so they could spend time with their father.
“When she pulled in to drop the kids off as agreed, as she was taking the children out of the car, he attacked her, traumatizing them for the rest of their lives," George said.
Mason has been charged with felonious assault of an officer. Charges for Aisha’s death are pending.
In 2014, Mason attacked Aisha during a car ride with their daughters. He repeatedly punched and bit her while he was driving. When Aisha attempted to escape the vehicle, Mason pulled her back in by her hair. When she finally fled, he parked the car and continued the assault as she laid on the ground. He eventually drove away with their kids, who were 4 and 6 at the time.
The attack left Aisha with an orbital fracture under her left eye, and she had to have facial reconstruction surgery. Mason was arrested that same day and charged with felonious assault, domestic violence, kidnapping and endangering children. The Ohio Supreme Court disqualified him from being a judge, and his law license was later suspended.
He was sentenced to two years in prison but only served nine months.
Aisha filed for divorce two days later. The separation was finalized in November 2015.
Mason was hired by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson as a minority business development administrator when he was released. He was fired on Saturday, following his arrest. Jackson defended his hiring decision on Monday.
“We hire many ex-felons, and almost all of them turn out well because we have second chance as a part of what we do as a policy in the city of Cleveland,” the mayor said. “We have some people who have done time and committed some pretty heinous crimes, and they have come to work for the city of Cleveland, and they have done quite well for us."
Aisha was a sixth-grade teacher beloved by her pupils and colleagues, according to the Shaker Heights Teachers’ Association.
“We are in deep mourning. Aisha exemplified the best of Shaker Heights Teachers; smart, amazingly caring of her students and her colleagues, active in her profession and in our association. She is loved by many,” the group wrote in a statement.
The Shaker Heights City School District also mourned her death.
“Aisha was a devoted mother and a longtime committed teacher to Woodbury students. She touched so many of our children’s lives and will be deeply missed. Her loss is unexpected, and the impact of this news on our entire school community is unimaginable and profound,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Stephen M. Wilkins said in a statement.
A GoFundMe campaign has been created for the benefit of Aisha’s daughters.
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