A Nevada jury has awarded over $34 million to Kirstin Lobato (now known as Blaise), a woman who spent nearly 16 years in prison for a 2001 murder she did not commit. The 41-year-old was arrested at 18 and wrongly convicted twice for the crime. The jury's decision brought Lobato to tears as she embraced her legal team following the verdict.
Lobato expressed relief that the ordeal was finally over, acknowledging the long and challenging path to justice. While unsure how the substantial financial award would impact her life going forward, she admitted uncertainty about her future.
The jury determined that the Las Vegas Police Department and two retired detectives fabricated evidence and intentionally caused Lobato emotional distress. They awarded her $34 million in compensatory damages from the department and $10,000 in punitive damages from each detective. The detectives and their lawyer declined immediate comment, but indicated a likely appeal. The police department had previously agreed to pay damages if the jury ruled in Lobato's favor.
Lobato's ordeal began in 2001 when, at 18, she was interviewed by police without legal representation, subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of Duran Bailey. Bailey, a homeless man, was found deceased with severe injuries. Despite a lack of physical evidence or witnesses linking Lobato to the crime, police asserted she confessed to the killing while in jail, claiming self-defense during a drug-induced state. Lobato consistently denied ever meeting Bailey.
Her first conviction in 2002 was overturned by the Nevada Supreme Court in 2004 due to limitations on her lawyers' ability to cross-examine a key witness. A second trial in 2006 resulted in a manslaughter conviction and a lengthy prison sentence. Finally, in late 2017, the Innocence Project and her legal team secured her exoneration and release, presenting evidence to the Nevada Supreme Court proving she was over 150 miles away from the crime scene at the time of the murder. A state judge officially declared her innocent in October of last year.
This declaration prompted Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill and District Attorney Steve Wolfson to request an investigation by the state Attorney General into the process by which Lobato's legal team obtained the certificate of innocence.
