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Limone v. United States
First Circuit, 2009
Convictions vacated. The federal government was held liable for more than $100 million.
Court finding
Four men were convicted of a 1965 Massachusetts murder largely on the testimony of FBI informant Joseph Barboza. Decades later, FBI files disclosed information that undercut Barboza's account and had been suppressed. The convictions were vacated.
After a bench trial, the federal government was held liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act on multiple theories. The First Circuit upheld liability for intentional infliction of emotional distress and upheld damage awards exceeding $100 million. The appellate court described the government misconduct as egregious and the FBI's conduct as outrageous and tortious.
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