Connecticut is ready to pay practically $5.9 million to the household of a disabled man who was wrongly imprisoned for greater than twenty years earlier than he was freed in 2015 when his 1992 conviction within the homicide and rape of an 88-year-old grandmother was overturned.
Richard Lapointe, who died at age 74 in 2020, had Dandy-Walker syndrome, a uncommon congenital mind malformation that his legal professionals say was a think about his false confession. Lapointe was by no means declared harmless, however his legal professionals and the state legal professional common’s workplace finally agreed to settle after years of authorized battles.
The state claims commissioner’s workplace on Jan. 2 set the cash to be awarded to the household, though it nonetheless must be permitted by the legislature. The claims commissioner’s workplace determines whether or not individuals can file lawsuits towards the state or obtain cash beneath the state’s wrongful incarceration regulation.
Claims Commissioner Robert Shea Jr. mentioned his workplace agreed that the award is “cheap and acceptable.”
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On this April 10, 2015, photograph, Richard Lapointe, heart, raises his arms with Kate Germond, left, and Paul Casteleiro, each of Centurion Ministries, after he was granted bail and launched on the Connecticut Supreme Court docket in Hartford, Connecticut. (AP)
Lapointe’s legal professional, Paul Casteleiro, mentioned the award is “a recognition by the state of the improper it dedicated in prosecuting and imprisoning an harmless man. Sadly, Richard didn’t stay lengthy sufficient to witness his remaining vindication.”
“The award is under no circumstances enough compensation for what was finished to Richard Lapointe,” Casteleiro mentioned Friday, including that the state destroyed his consumer’s life “for against the law he didn’t commit.”
The legal professional common’s workplace mentioned in an announcement Friday that it “negotiated a decision of this declare within the pursuits of all events. This displays that course of.”
In 1987, Lapointe’s spouse’s grandmother, Bernice Martin, was discovered stabbed, raped and strangled in her burning residence in Manchester, Connecticut.
Lapointe was convicted in Martin’s homicide in 1992 and sentenced to life in jail with out the potential for launch. Key proof within the case included Lapointe’s confessions throughout an almost 10-hour interrogation by Manchester police.
His legal professionals argued his psychological incapacity attributed to him giving false confessions and that the confession was coerced with out his legal professionals current.
Lapointe was convicted of homicide in 1992 and sentenced to life in jail with out the potential for launch. (iStock)
The state Supreme Court docket dominated 4-2 in a 2015 choice that Lapointe was disadvantaged of a good trial since prosecutors didn’t disclose notes by a police officer which will have supported an alibi protection. Later that 12 months, prosecutors mentioned new DNA testing didn’t implicate Lapointe and all the fees had been dropped.
No person else has been charged in Martin’s killing.
Lapointe was launched from custody a short while later and exited the Hartford courthouse carrying a black T-shirt that learn “I did not do it” as he threw his fingers into the air in triumph.
“In fact I didn’t do it,” Lapointe mentioned on the time. “That wasn’t me. I wouldn’t do nothing like that to no person. I wouldn’t even kill my worst enemy.”
Casteleiro mentioned the case towards Lapointe destroyed his household, who shunned him.
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The state Supreme Court docket dominated 4-2 in a 2015 choice that Lapointe was disadvantaged of a good trial. (iStock)
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Earlier than Martin’s dying, Lapointe and his spouse, who has cerebral palsy, “had been making a life collectively. They had been doing okay,” Casteleiro mentioned. However after his arrest, his spouse divorced him, and he misplaced all contact along with his son, who was younger on the time.
After his launch from jail, Lapointe started affected by dementia, was positioned in a nursing dwelling in East Hartford and died after a battle with COVID-19, in accordance with his legal professionals.
Lapointe has been supported by a number of advocates, together with the teams Buddies of Richard Lapointe and Centurion, a company Casteleiro works for that helps the wrongly convicted.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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