WORCESTER, Mass. — A Massachusetts man who spent 16 years in prison for a crime he says he didn't commit has filed a federal lawsuit accusing police of withholding evidence and using unfair tactics to falsely implicate him.
Natale "Nat" Cosenza filed the lawsuit Thursday against the city of Worcester and current and former city police officers. Cosenza was convicted of assault and battery and armed burglary in 2002.
A court vacated Cosenza's conviction in 2016 and granted him a new trial. A court last year found that the procedure police used that caused the victim to identify Cosenza as her attacker was "unduly suggestive" and prosecutors dropped the charges.
Attorney Jon Loevy says "the police never really tried to solve this crime."
The Office of the City Manager released a statement to Boston 25 News:
"It is our general policy not to comment on matters in suit. The case was just filed this morning regarding a conviction from 16 years ago. We learned of these allegations only last Friday when we received a letter from Mr. Cosenza’s attorney. We will vigorously defend the City and the officers named in the complaint.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.