Associated Press
More than four years after his death, Richard Lapointe's family is set to receive a nearly $5.9 million award from Connecticut for his wrongful, quarter-century imprisonment that ended in 2015 when his murder conviction was overturned in the rape and killing of his wife's 88-year-old grandmother. Lapointe's case became a cause celebre, receiving widespread publicity from advocates for the disabled and celebrities, including writers Arthur Miller and William Styron, who called for his release. The award by the state claims commissioner's office, which now moves to the legislature for approval, was issued Jan. 2 after years of legal battles between Lapointe's lawyers and the state attorney general's office.