Braintree settles $14.9 million with man wrongfully convicted of 1980 murder – Boston News, Weather, Sports

BRAINTREE, MASS. (WHDH) – The City of Braintree has reached a $14.9 million settlement with Frederick Weichel, who was wrongfully imprisoned for 36 years.

Weichel was convicted of murder in 1980 following the death of Robert LaMonica and spent decades behind bars.

However, in 2010, new evidence was uncovered that led to Weichel being released from prison and exonerated in 2017.

He filed several lawsuits, including against the Commonwealth and the City of Braintree. Due to a state law, the Commonwealth was only required to pay a maximum of one million dollars.

Because there is no law limiting the amount cities or municipalities can pay in lawsuits, the city agreed to a settlement of $14.9 million.

“There are no winners in this case. Mr. Weichel spent 36 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He missed the opportunity to raise a family, travel, or enjoy all of life's normal experiences that we take for granted. Mr. Weichel has been found innocent and wants to rebuild his life,” Braintree Mayor Erin V. Joyce said in a statement.

“In my opinion, the city has reached a reasonable agreement with Mr. Weichel that is fair to him and prudent under the circumstances,” she continued.

To manage the impact on our own financial stability going forward, we are aggressively pursuing our insurance claims with the support of our legal team and we expect to recover a significant portion of this settlement,” she continued.

Joyce added that the city will explore options for financing the settlement, including possible insurance coverage.

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