Nevada Appeal Capitol Bureau
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
The Nevada Board of Examiners on Tuesday awarded Frank Lapeña $1.98 million for the two decades he spent in prison for a murder he didn’t commit.
The board consists of Gov. Steve Sisolak, Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske.
Lapeña was awarded a certificate of innocence after an extensive review of evidence, including DNA evidence, cleared him of the murder and robbery of Hilda Krause, wife of casino magnate Marvin Krause, in 1974.
He was convicted on the testimony of Gerald Weakland, who committed the actual murder and was sentenced to life. Weakland changed his testimony and said Lapeña was innocent. But he changed his testimony again at Lapeña’s second trial and Lapeña was again convicted.
After he was declared innocent of the crimes, the state awarded him compensation for the time he spent in prison based on a law approved by the 2019 Legislature to compensate persons wrongfully incarcerated if they can prove their actual innocence.
He is the fifth person in Nevada awarded a certificate of innocence and compensation.
