The Massachusetts Parole Board has denied parole for Wayland Coleman, a man serving a life sentence for the 1997 murder of a teenager in Worcester.
In a decision dated Oct. 14, the board stated that Coleman has not shown a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society. His case will be reviewed again in three years.
Coleman was 19 years old on May 25, 1997, when a fight broke out as a crowd left the Eden Restaurant on Water Street. During the altercation, Coleman got a gun from a car and shot 17-year-old Neal-Sabree McClain, who was unarmed, at close range. According to the board’s case summary, Coleman shot McClain a second time as he lay on the ground. McClain was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries.
In 1998, a Worcester Superior Court jury found Coleman guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Coleman became eligible for parole after a 2024 Supreme Judicial Court ruling deemed life-without-parole sentences unconstitutional for offenders aged 18 to 20. His sentence was subsequently changed to life with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
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During his May 8, 2025, initial hearing, the board reviewed Coleman’s 26 years of incarceration. It noted he has accumulated more than 30 disciplinary reports and has completed minimal programming, though he did earn a GED and a bachelor’s degree from Boston University. The board also stated that Coleman, who maintains his innocence, refused to answer questions about the crime on the advice of counsel. A risk assessment tool categorized him as a high risk to reoffend.
Testimony opposing parole was presented by Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr., Worcester County Assistant District Attorney Anne Kennedy, and family members of McClain. Five people testified in support of Coleman’s release.
Generative AI was used to draft this story, based on data provided by the Massachusetts Parole Board. It was reviewed and edited by MassLive.
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