Howard Payne
Howard Payne, 78, mentored boys and young men in Boston, and his daughter, Syreeta Arisme, described a close bond with him, daily phone calls, and his wish to hold his grandchildren and eat at his favorite Chinese restaurant in Dedham. He had diabetes, had lost a leg to amputation, and had a suspected malignant tumor. A doctor filed a medical parole petition for him in May 2025, but the state had not acted on it when he died on June 20, 2025, at Boston Medical Center, where he was still in the custody of the state Department of Correction, and the death certificate lists cardiovascular disease as the cause. His lawyer and family said he was dying and asked for an expedited decision, which was not granted, and his family says he was shackled to his hospital bed even when unconscious. The department declined to discuss individual medical cases and said it evaluates each petition carefully.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness. The death certificate lists cardiovascular disease as the cause, and his lawyer and family say he was dying while the state had not acted on his medical parole petition.
Reported by: death certificate.