BRAINTREE – The Town of Braintree has reached a $14.9 million settlement in the case of Frederick Weichel v. Town of Braintree, et al.
In May 1980, Frederick Weichel was wrongly convicted of the murder of Robert LaMonica. Weichel served a 36-year prison sentence until 2010 when new details emerged when the city of Braintree requested public records. Weichel would be released and exonerated in 2017.
Shortly thereafter, Weichel sued government entities, including the city of Braintree and the state of Massachusetts. In 2022, a trial took place in which jurors ruled that the state had to pay $33 million. However, because of a law that protects the state from liability over $1 million, Weichel and his attorney determined that the city of Braintree faced greater financial exposure.
After several years of casework and legalities, Braintree and Weichel reached a $14.9 million settlement. Braintree Mayor Erin V. Joyce will work with the city and other officials to pay the settlement.
In a statement posted on the City of Braintree website, Mayor Joyce said, “There are no winners in this case. Mr. Weichel has spent 36 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He has missed the opportunity to have a family, travel, or enjoy all the normal experiences in life that we take for granted. Mr. Weichel has been found innocent and wants to rebuild his life. In my judgment, the City has reached a reasonable settlement with Mr. Weichel that is fair to him and prudent under the circumstances. In order to manage the impact on our own financial stability going forward, we are aggressively pursuing insurance coverage with the assistance of our legal team, and we expect to collect a significant portion of this settlement.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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