Las Vegas Metro Pays $29.5 Million After Jury Finds Detectives Fabricated Evidence
Kirstin "Blaise" Lobato has received a $29.5 million settlement from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. In December 2024, a federal jury found that two Metro detectives fabricated evidence against her in a 2001 murder case and awarded her $34 million. Metro began an appeal, and the case settled through mediation during that appeal. The settlement was on the September 9, 2026 agenda of Metro's Committee on Fiscal Affairs, and her attorney says it was approved and has been paid in full. Our firm was not involved in this case.
Ms. Lobato spent more than 15 years in prison. Her conviction was vacated in December 2017, the charges were dropped, and a Nevada court later issued her a Certificate of Innocence.
What is a fabricated-evidence claim?
The Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of due process includes the right not to be charged or convicted on evidence that police deliberately made up. That can include invented confessions, twisted witness statements, or false reports. A federal law, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, lets people sue government officials who violate their constitutional rights.
Why settle during an appeal?
A jury verdict is not always the end. An appeal can take years, and the judgment may not be paid until it is resolved. Settling gives both sides certainty. Here, Ms. Lobato's attorney said the settlement guaranteed quick payment instead of more years of litigation.
If you believe you were framed
Keep every record you have: police reports, court papers, letters, and the names of witnesses.
Write down what you remember while it is fresh.
Talk to a civil rights lawyer before you give statements about the case.
Do not wait. These claims have strict deadlines. For fabricated-evidence claims, the clock often starts when the case ends in your favor, so timing matters.
If you believe you were wrongly charged or convicted because of police misconduct in Nevada, call us at (702) 819-7770 for a free consultation.
Comments