LAS VEGAS — A federal jury in Nevada has awarded over $34 million to a woman who, at the age of 18, was wrongfully convicted twice and spent nearly 16 years in a Nevada state prison for a murder she did not commit in 2001.
Kristin Lobato, who is now 41 and goes by the name Blaise, expressed her emotions through tears and hugs with her legal team after the jury’s verdict was announced on Thursday in U.S. District Court, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Reflecting on her lengthy ordeal, Lobato remarked, “It’s been an uphill battle with many, many obstacles,” and expressed relief that the struggle has finally come to an end. She also indicated uncertainty about her future, stating, “I don’t know if becoming a millionaire will make up for years in prison,” and acknowledged her uncertainty about what the rest of her life would entail.
The jury found that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and two retired detectives fabricated evidence during their investigation, which caused Lobato significant emotional distress. As a result, the jury awarded $34 million in compensatory damages to Lobato from the department, along with $10,000 in punitive damages from each of the former detectives involved.
The detectives, Thomas Thowsen and James LaRochelle, along with their attorney, Craig Anderson, chose not to comment outside of the court. Anderson did indicate that he intends to file further documents related to the case and mentioned that an appeal is likely following the verdict.
The police department had previously agreed to compensate Lobato if the jury ruled in her favor.
Lobato’s ordeal began in July 2001 when she was questioned by law enforcement without legal representation, subsequently leading to her arrest on charges of murdering Duran Bailey in Las Vegas. The victim, a homeless individual, was discovered dead near a dumpster, having suffered from multiple severe injuries.
With no physical evidence pointing to Lobato and her firm denial of ever meeting Bailey, authorities claimed that she had confessed to the crime while incarcerated, asserting that she had killed him in self-defense during a methamphetamine binge.
At the age of 19, Lobato faced murder charges and was convicted in 2002. However, her conviction was overturned by the Nevada Supreme Court in 2004 due to inadequate legal representation that hindered cross-examination of a crucial witness who claimed Lobato had confessed in jail.
In a retrial in 2006, Lobato was found guilty of manslaughter, mutilation, and weapon charges, leading to a sentence of 13 to 45 years in prison. Ultimately, Lobato was exonerated and released from prison in late 2017 after the Innocence Project alongside local attorneys took her case back to the state Supreme Court. They provided evidence indicating she was actually in her hometown of Panaca, Nevada—approximately 150 miles from Las Vegas—at the time of Bailey’s death.
In October 2022, a state court judge formally recognized Lobato’s innocence regarding the murder charge. However, this declaration was contested by Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill and District Attorney Steve Wolfson, who sent a letter to state Attorney General Aaron Ford requesting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issuance of Lobato’s certificate of innocence.
