A Letter Worth Reading

April 5, 2021

Dear (insert Parole Board Commissioner here),

I am writing to you today regarding the upcoming June parole hearing for Robert McCain, a

vicious criminal who brutally murdered Paula Bohovesky, a 16-year old high school student,

after sexually assaulting her in 1980.

His crimes speak for themselves, but I will provide a short background on the incident:

According to police and forensic accounts, following a day of drinking at a local bar,

Robert McCain and Richard LaBarbera followed Paula Bohovesky when she passed through Central Avenue and Main Street on her way home from work at the Pearl River Library.

McCain dragged Paula into the backyard of a house on Main Street, struck her on the head with a chunk of concrete, beat her, and tried to assault her sexually. His partner-in-crime,

Richard LaBarbera, also tried a sex act, and when Paula showed signs of life, he stabbed her

repeatedly.

Paula suffered painfully during her attempt to escape, but died beaten, stabbed, and

dehumanized. The medical examiner expressed that the brutality was amongst the worst he had ever seen. Paula died in a pool of her blood returning home from her job at a local library, and to this day, there has been no repentance or apology from the killers.

Robert McCain has consistently shown no remorse for his actions during parole hearings, often approaching them in a combative manner and arguing with commissioners such as yourself.

As a state, we should not be releasing vicious, inhumane, unapologetic, and unrepentant killers from prison, especially those who rape and murder innocent children.

I sincerely hope you will recognize this individual is not worthy of parole and spare Paula’s family and our community from reliving this trauma.

The Parole Board made a mistake in releasing Richard LaBarbera, please do not double down on your callous disregard for Paula’s family by releasing Robert McCain.

Sincerely,

Assemblyman Michael V. Lawler