In 1982, three men stole $7 in a robbery that left a taxi driver dead and a teenager being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
After 42 years, that teen — now 61 years old — is getting a second chance at life outside prison walls.
On Nov. 3, 1982, 19-year-old Robert Benjamin, his brother, Royal Benjamin, and Steven Henderson got a taxi at the Egleston MBTA station. They had talked about doing a “stickup” prior to getting in the car.
The driver, Monpoint Jacques, picked up the three men and Robert Benjamin sat directly behind the driver. They told the driver to go to Oldfield Road, which was a dead-end street in Dorchester.
Royal Benjamin handed his brother a gun told told him to “get out and do somethin’” when the taxi stopped. When the car stopped, Robert Benjamin put the gun to Jacques’ head. But he didn’t plan to shoot it.
However, when the driver attempted to roll up the window, the gun went off, Robert Benjamin later told police.
The bullet pierced Jacques’ aorta, killing him.
Robert Benjamin immediately started running, while Henderson pulled Jacques’ body from the cab and took $7. The men split the money three ways with Robert Benjamin get $3.
Robert Benjamin was arrested on Nov. 7, 1982. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his first-degree murder conviction.
However, he became eligible for parole after a recent Supreme Judicial Court decision that states emerging adults between the ages of 18-20 cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Due to the decision, Robert Benjamin was able to go in front of the parole board for the first time in December.
During his incarceration, the parole board stated he completed about 20 programs, including Violence Reduction. He has also been employed in the MassCor clothing shop and has his welder’s license. The parole board stated that his last disciplinary report was in 1993.
Three family members came to the hearing to speak in support of parole.
On April 7, the parole board unanimously decided that Robert Benjamin “has demonstrated a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society.”
Robert Benjamin will be at Community Resources for Justice (CRJ) for at least 90 days. He will be supervised for drugs and liquor with testing and he is to have no contact with Jacques’ family.