A Nevada federal jury awarded Kirstin Lobato, now Blaise, $34 million in compensatory damages and $10,000 in punitive damages from two retired Las Vegas detectives, finding they fabricated evidence and inflicted emotional distress during her wrongful conviction for a 2001 murder. Lobato, wrongly convicted twice and imprisoned for nearly 16 years, was exonerated in 2017 after new evidence proved her innocence. The jury’s verdict concluded that Las Vegas police were responsible for her ordeal; the department had preemptively agreed to pay damages should the jury find in Lobato’s favor. The detectives’ attorney plans to appeal the decision.
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In a recent interview, Crystal Mangum recanted her 2006 rape accusation against three Duke lacrosse players, stating she lied to gain validation. Her false testimony led to the players’ arrests, the team’s season cancellation, and the loss of their coach’s job. The charges were ultimately dropped in 2007, with the men later receiving settlements. Mangum, currently incarcerated for murder, expressed remorse and a desire for forgiveness from the three men.
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After nearly three decades of wrongful imprisonment for a 1986 murder and robbery, Michael Sullivan was declared innocent and awarded $13 million. This follows a jury finding that a state police chemist provided false testimony, although this was not the sole basis for the original conviction. Despite the significant financial award, the ruling primarily signifies the vindication of Sullivan’s decades-long claim of innocence. The money will be used largely to support his nieces and nephews, reflecting Sullivan’s desire to provide for his family after years of hardship.
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John Q. Hosedrinker