Federal Jury Awards Kristin Lobato $34 Million

Kirstin Lobato, now known as Blaise, has been awarded over $34 million by a federal jury after being wrongfully convicted twice and serving nearly 16 years for a 2001 murder she did not commit. The jury found that Las Vegas police fabricated evidence and inflicted emotional distress during their investigation. Lobato was arrested at 18, with no physical evidence linking her to the crime, and maintained her innocence throughout her ordeal. She was exonerated in 2017 after demonstrating she was miles away from the crime scene at the time of the murder. The award includes $34 million in compensatory damages and $10,000 in punitive damages from each of the two retired detectives involved. Following the verdict, Lobato expressed uncertainty about her future despite the financial compensation.