Fred Weichel took the stand today in his civil trial, asking for $1 million in compensation from the state for serving nearly four decades in prison for the 1980 murder of Robert Lamonica in Braintree.Weichel was released in 2017 after a police report that was never handed over surfaced, suggesting someone else could have committed the crime. Weichel was 28 when he was arrested. Now, he's 70."Fred was innocent when he went to prison. And for 35 years, 8 plus months, he had to live in a small cell. Every day knowing that he was an innocent man," said attorney Mark Loevy-Reyes, an attorney for Weichel.But lawyers for the Attorney General's office, who represent the state, said essentially not so fast, arguing that if Weichel didn't murder Lamonica, he helped the real killer after the crime was committed."The fact that a judge ordered a new criminal trial for Mr. Weichel, doesn't mean he's innocent. The fact that the district attorney made the decision not to re-prosecute him 40 years later, doesn't mean he's innocent," said assistant attorney general Abigail Fee.Today was the first day of testimony in Weichel's civil suit. Weichel's cross-examination is scheduled to continue on Tuesday.Weichel's friend, Tommy Barrett, later confessed to the murder in a 1982 letter to Weichel's mother, but was never charged with the crime."You will also decide whether in your minds he has proved himself innocent of these other felony crimes based on the evidence you hear. In particular, about how Mr. Weichel helped Tommy Barrett leave the state when police were looking for him," Fee said.Weichel admits connecting Barrett with a friend in California because Weichel says Barrett was in trouble. But Weichel insists that trouble had nothing to do with the Lamonica murder.On the stand, Weichel said he was ordered to keep Barrett's name out of the Lamonica investigation by South Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger.Weichel testified that Whitey told him: "'If you ever mention Tommy Barrett's name I'll kill you. And if I can't get you, I'll get your mother, brother and sister.'"Weichel says Bulger visited multiple times before and after Weichel was arrested and issued warnings."He was going to cut my head off and kick it down the street like a head of lettuce," he said."Did he say anything else to you?" his lawyer asked."Not to mention Tommy Barrett's name. Ever," Weichel replied.