Former Justice Lance Mason, accused of murdering his wife, stabbed death at Shaker Heights, according to sources

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio – Former Judge Lance Mason of Cuyahoga Common Pleas, who spent nine months in jail for beating his wife in front of their children, is accused of stabbing the woman on Saturday. morning at his home in Shaker Heights, according to three sources.

Mason was arrested for murder because of the death of his ex-wife, Aisha Fraser Mason, at her home on Chagrin Blvd., near Normandy Road, according to the same source.

The house where the knife attack occurred is close to the place where police reported that a Shaker Heights police officer had been hit by a car fleeing an incident of domestic violence.

Officers from the Ohio Criminal Investigation Bureau are on hand to assist the Shaker Heights Police.

The Shaker Heights police did not respond to several messages requesting comments. Cleveland City spokesman Dan Williams also did not respond to the messages. After his release from prison, Mason was hired by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson as Director of Minority Business Development.

Lizette Jordan, who has identified herself as a longtime friend of the masons, has spoken well of Mason and Fraser Mason. She said she was not aware of any issues between the two people after the 2014 domestic violence incident.

"The only problem they've ever had, it's when they quarreled about girls," said Jordan, referring to their two children. "He really liked these girls though."

In August 2014, Mason hit his wife at the time 20 times and knocked her head five times against the dash of her car, breaking her orbital bone.

The couple's children were at the back of the car when the attack took place. Mason, who previously served on the state legislature, was a sitting judge of Cuyahoga County during the attack.

Mason went home after the attack. A family member reported to the Cleveland police that he could try to commit suicide, but Mason has surrendered. Police searching his home at that time found smoke grenades, semi-automatic rifles, a sword, a bulletproof vest and more than 2,500 rounds of ammunition.

Mason pled guilty to criminal assault and domestic violence and was sentenced to two years in prison.

His judicial release was granted nine months later. Part of his request for early release included a letter to Fraser Mason in which he apologized, asked forgiveness and told him that he deeply regretted what had happened.

Mason wrote that he "had failed as husband, father and man", and promised that once he realized that he was "broken "He became a better father and a better man, according to the letter.

"My responsibility was to love you and protect you," said Mason's letter. "Instead of loving, protecting and caring for you and our daughters, I have provided a terrible example and exposed you to rage and violence."

Fraser Mason, who needed reconstructive facial surgery, filed for divorce two days after the incident. The divorce case is still pending.

Fraser Mason also won a $ 150,000 judgment in a civil case after suing her ex-husband for damages after the attack.

The law forbade Mason to become a judge again. His license was suspended indefinitely in December 2017.

Cleveland.com reporter Robin Goist contributed to this report.