For nearly 30 years, Michael Sullivan lived a nightmare. While he was locked away for a crime he swore he didn’t commit, life outside moved on without him. His mom and four siblings passed away, his girlfriend started over, and he endured brutal beatings in prison.
But now, at 64 years old, Sullivan has finally cleared his name. A jury in Massachusetts recently declared him innocent of a 1986 murder and robbery. While the jury awarded him $13 million for the wrongful conviction, state laws cap compensation at $1 million.
Still, for Sullivan, the verdict means more than money. “The most important thing is proving I didn’t commit murder,” he said. “Clearing my name is what matters most.”
In 1987, Sullivan was found guilty of killing and robbing Wilfred McGrath. The evidence? A jacket that prosecutors claimed had blood and a hair linking him to the crime. But in truth, the case against him was shaky from the start.
Investigators focused on Sullivan because his sister had been with McGrath the night he was killed. McGrath had visited their apartment, and another suspect, Gary Grace, pointed the finger at Sullivan. Grace’s own murder charges were dropped, and he testified that Sullivan wore a purple jacket on the night of the crime. A state police chemist added weight to the case by claiming the jacket had blood on it. Based on that evidence, Sullivan was sentenced to life in prison.
What made it even worse was that the actual killers—Grace and another man, Emil Petrla—got much lighter sentences. Grace served just six years, and Petrla, who admitted to beating McGrath and dumping his body, was sentenced to life but later died in prison.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Sullivan recalled. “Hearing the guilty verdict broke me. My family was crying. I was crying. It was like my life was ripped away.”
Life in prison was a constant struggle. Sullivan faced violent attacks, including one where his nose was nearly bitten off. And because he was serving a life sentence, he couldn’t even take classes to prepare for life outside.
But in 2011, everything changed. Sullivan’s lawyer requested DNA testing on the jacket—the very piece of evidence used to convict him. The results were shocking: no blood, no DNA from McGrath, and no solid proof tying Sullivan to the crime.
“At the trial, prosecutors kept saying the blood on the jacket proved Sullivan did it,” said Dana Curhan, one of Sullivan’s former attorneys. “But the DNA testing showed there wasn’t any blood at all.”
A new trial was ordered in 2012, and by 2013, Sullivan was released from prison. The state eventually decided not to retry him, partly because key witnesses had died and others couldn’t remember the details after so many years.
Walking out of prison after nearly three decades wasn’t easy. Sullivan admits he’s struggled to adjust. “The world changed so much while I was in there,” he said. Before his arrest, he had plans to become a truck driver and work for his brother’s company. Instead, he left prison with no skills, no job prospects, and a deep sense of loss.
Even simple things like using a computer feel impossible. He now spends most of his time at his sister Donna’s house, helping with odd jobs and taking care of her pigeons and his Yorkshire terrier, Buddy. “I don’t go out much. I’m scared all the time,” he said. “I’m just not used to this world.”
Donna has been his rock through it all. She stood by him during the trial, visited him in prison, and now provides him with a place to stay. But she can’t help but mourn the life her brother missed out on. “He never got to have kids or a family of his own,” she said. “If it weren’t for us, he’d probably be homeless.”
Despite everything, Sullivan is determined to make the best of his second chance. He plans to buy a truck for himself but wants to save most of the money for his nieces and nephews. “I just want them to have a better life,” he said. “That’s what makes me happy.”
Sullivan hasn’t received any therapy yet, but his lawyer is pushing for the court to include counseling and educational support as part of the settlement. For now, Sullivan is focused on finding a sense of peace, even if it’s one small step at a time. “I’m trying,” he said quietly. “It’s all I can do.”
