Michael Sullivan has always maintained his innocence of a murder in 1986. The turning point for him came in 2011 when his lawyer demanded that DNA tests be conducted. The result showed that his blood was not found on the evidence material referred to by the prosecutor. At the first trial, there was no possibility of conducting DNA testing.
After a new trial, Sullivan was released in 2013. After lengthy processes in the state of Massachusetts, a jury has established that the now 64-year-old former prisoner will receive a significantly higher compensation than the fixed upper limit of one million dollars.
Sullivan is relieved that the "murder has finally been erased" from his life story and explains that the money helps. But the verdict against him has left deep scars. His nose was almost completely bitten off, as was his ear, in repeated attacks in prison. And he barely dares to go out, the world has changed and he is content with helping his sister with laundry – he took care of laundry duties in prison.
The money, says Sullivan, will be saved and given to his nieces and nephews when they turn 21.
