In this Boston Herald Story reporter Colleen Cronin speaks to former Springfield Mayor Michael Albano is calling for clemency for James Rodwell, now 70, who was convicted of first-degree murder and has been incarcerated for 45 years. Rodwell was convicted based on the testimony of two witnesses and no physical evidence in the case of the 1979 murder of Louis Rose Jr., the son of a Burlington police captain, in Somerville. Albano, who served on the state Parole Board in the 1980s, wrote a letter to the board last week about Rodwell — a man serving a life sentence without parole. Rodwell has always maintained his innocence, including taking the stand in his own defense during the 1981 trial. Albano believes him. A key witness, David Nagel, later told Albano he should not have testified against Rodwell. Nagel's testimony was pivotal to the conviction. Another local Drug Enforcement agent also wrote an affidavit to the advisory board expressing concerns. Albano compared Rodwell's case to other infamous wrongful convictions and brought the matter to the parole board, calling it something that "deserves careful, urgent attention." The Advisory Board of Pardons granted Rodwell a clemency hearing nearly a year ago but has not yet scheduled it. Albano noted that even if Rodwell gets a hearing, it will take time for the Governor to make her own decision — and by then Rodwell will have served 50 years. The Middlesex County District Attorney's office, which ruled in the Mathis decision that emerging adults ages 18 to 21 could not be sentenced to life, is strictly opposed to Rodwell's clemency.

‍