BANGOR (AP) – A judge has ordered a convicted murderer to pay $1.5 million to the mother of a toddler he killed.

Jeffrey Cookson of Dover-Foxcroft is serving consecutive life sentences for the murder of his former girlfriend Mindy Gould and the 21-month-old boy she was baby-sitting, Treven Cunningham. They were shot execution-style on Dec. 3, 1999.

Superior Court Justice Andrew Mead ordered Cookson to pay the damages in a wrongful death lawsuit, said Cassie Cunningham’s attorney, Marie Hansen of Bangor.

The family acknowledges it may never receive a penny but the judge’s order is important nonetheless, Hansen said Wednesday. Cookson wrote in court documents that he is broke and that he expects to die in prison without any future earnings.

“It means a lot to (Treven’s) family to know that their loss is recognized,” Hansen said Wednesday. “This judgment recognizes that loss.”

Cookson maintained his innocence throughout the trial and continued to do so in the civil proceedings. After his conviction, Cookson’s lawyer said that another man had confessed to the crimes. But the other man later recanted.

Cookson’s 2001 conviction and consecutive life sentences were affirmed by the state supreme court, which cited “the execution nature of the murders; Cookson’s stalking of Gould; and his history of domestic abuse.”

In the same month he was convicted, Cassie Cunningham sued Cookson for the wrongful death of her son in Penobscot County Superior Court.

Mead’s ruling last month imposed $400,000 for the wrongful death of Treven Cunningham. $75,000 for punitive damages, $5,565 for funeral expenses, $571,000 for lost wages and $500,000 for conscious pain and suffering.

The inmate represented himself in the civil lawsuit.

Cookson wrote that he had “no assets of any value left” because he had spent his life savings on his criminal defense. He also stated that he would die in prison and “will never have any way to pay any amount that you may or may not impose.”

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com