Michael P. Connors was a 23-year-old patrolman with the Richmond Police Department in Virginia, where he had served for about a year. He was remembered by loved ones as a dedicated officer and a cherished family member. His life was cut short in an act of violence that would reverberate through the community and the state's justice system for decades to come.
In the early morning hours of November 13, 1979, Patrolman Connors was on duty near the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. He initiated a traffic stop after observing a vehicle traveling the wrong way on a one-way street near the intersection of Madison and Grace Streets in the city's Monroe Ward neighborhood. Unbeknownst to Connors, the four men inside the car had just committed an armed robbery at a nearby 7-Eleven. As the young, white officer approached the vehicle, he was ambushed. One of the occupants, Vincent Lamont Martin, then 23, shot Connors in the neck. According to the prosecutor, Martin then stood over the fallen officer and fired several more shots into his head in what was described as "a flat out execution." The medical examiner later testified that gravel and stone fragments were found in Connors' face due to the force of the close-range gunshots.
The investigation quickly led to the arrest of Martin and his three accomplices. Martin was tried for capital murder and, in his first trial, was found guilty and sentenced to death by a jury. However, following an appeal, the Supreme Court of Virginia ordered a new trial. A second jury also found Martin guilty of the murder, but this time sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole. His co-defendants also received life sentences for their roles in the crime. For decades, Martin was repeatedly denied parole, with the board citing the serious nature of the offense, his extensive criminal record, a history of violence, and the likelihood that he would not comply with conditions of release.
The case was thrust back into the public spotlight in April 2020 when the Virginia Parole Board voted 4-0 to grant parole to Vincent Martin, then 64. The board's chair at the time, Adrianne L. Bennett, defended the decision, citing conflicting testimony from co-defendants during the original trial, Martin's good behavior in prison for over 30 years, and his work as a mentor and peacemaker within the correctional community. She stated Martin had always maintained his innocence. The decision was met with immediate and widespread outrage from Connors' family, the Richmond Police Department, law enforcement agencies across the state, and the original prosecutor.
The backlash intensified when it was revealed that the parole board had not properly followed state law and its own policies. Connors’ family reported they were not given adequate notification or opportunity to provide input before the decision was made, a violation of state code that requires the board to "endeavor diligently" to contact victims' relatives. Michael Connors' sister, Maureen Clements, filed a complaint, stating that the family had never been contacted by the board for Martin's numerous prior parole considerations. The family said they received a letter in March 2020 and a brief phone call, but felt the decision was already a "done deal."
In response to the public outcry and formal complaints, an administrative investigation was launched by the Virginia Office of the State Inspector General. In May 2020, just as Martin was scheduled to be released, his parole was put on a temporary hold pending the outcome of the investigation. The inspector general's office was tasked with determining whether the parole board had followed proper procedures, not with reviewing the merits of the decision itself. The subsequent investigation found that the parole board had indeed violated state law and its own policies in its handling of the case. The controversy surrounding the Martin case and others led to significant scrutiny and changes within the Virginia Parole Board. As of the May 2020 reports, Vincent Martin's release had been halted, leaving the final outcome of his parole grant uncertain amid the ongoing official review.
