Maurice Richard Lerner—born December 20, 1935, in Cambridge, MA—grew up with a modest background. His father was a small-time bookie, and Lerner earned the nickname “Pro” for his studious nature and athletic focus.

He shined on the baseball field at Brookline High, batting .364 his senior year. After serving two years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Lerner pursued minor league ball from the mid- to late-1950s through 1963. He played for many teams—including the Erie Senators, Boise Braves, Atlanta Crackers, and Yakima Bears—compiling a .308 average, 24 home runs, and 225 RBIs over 482 games.

By 1962, his path took a dangerous turn. His athletic discipline hardened into cold precision—he crafted a “shooting gallery” in his basement and began training with weapons in earnest. hat same year, he crossed paths with Boston-area mobster John “Red” Kelley and entered the orbit of the Patriarca crime family.

On April 20, 1968, in Providence, two bookmakers—Rudolph “Rudy” Marfeo and Anthony Melei—were murdered inside Pannone’s supermarket in broad daylight. It was nasty work: Lerner allegedly carried out the hit with a shotgun, while John “Red” Kelley helped plan their getaway.

In 1970, Lerner, Patriarca, and others were tried for murder and conspiracy. Kelley testified—claimed Lerner ordered the hit and did the dirty work. FBI agent H. Paul Rico supported Kelley’s testimony, sealing the conviction. Lerner received two life sentences plus ten years for conspiracy; Patriarca got ten years for conspiracy.

Years later, deep investigation revealed serious missteps: Kelley and Rico had perjured themselves, withholding evidence and violating Lerner’s due-process rights. In 1988, the Rhode Island Supreme Court officially overturned Lerner's conviction in Lerner v. Moran, and ordered a new trial. Lerner pled no contest and was released after time served.

He spent the rest of his life free, far from the mob world, passing away in Las Vegas on September 5, 2013.