Jurors told the state of Massachusetts to pay $33 million to a man that spent 36 years in prison for murder Tuesday. The now-free man alleges infamous Boston mobster Whitey Bulger framed him for the crime.
Fred Weichel was arrested for the 1980 Braintree murder of Robert Lamonica before being freed in 2017. According to a statement from his lawyer, Weichel was victorious in a civil suit against the state as jurors ruled he should receive $33 million from the government.
Weichel was released in 2017 after it was revealed that a police report that opened the door for the possibility that another committed the crime was never handed over to police.
Weichel has maintained his innocence ever since his incarceration. In a 2002 jailhouse interview with Boston 25′s Bob Ward, Weichel said he was double-crossed by Bulger and the mobster set him up as the fall guy.
Massachusetts state law caps the monetary award at $1 million but Weichel will likely receive more for lawyer costs and other fees.
A spokesperson for Attorney General Maura Healey confirmed the civil suit outcome to Boston 25.
“Today’s verdict is a result of our state statute that appropriately allows for eligible plaintiffs to bring their case before a jury for a final determination. We will continue to handle these cases in a way that is fair and consistent with the law,” the spokesperson for Maura Healey said.
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