Everybody said that ...

Everybody said that he was framed. Nevertheless, they put him in prison for ten years.

Hi

But there's a phrase "framed up" and "set up". Why not "framed up"?

The phrase "He was set up" exists.
But, "framed up" is not the phrase you should use in this context. It's just "framed."

There is no such expression as "framed up".
My brother framed me. His friends framed him. Don't try to frame me.

Everybody said that he was set up. - This would be OK? YES

Have you got it?

The verb is frame, the noun is frame-up. Perhaps this is causing the confusion.

Precisely, Ivanhr. Thank you for the clarification.
I was wrong not to have pointed this out. I was concentrating on the phrasal verb.
My apologies, Newguest. There is such a thing as a frame-up, but the action is "to frame".

I think I saw "frame up" without a hyphen somewhere, but most probably it was a mistake.

Thanks for your clarifications

'It was a frame up!' -A notable climatic exclamation heard in the old black and white American gangster films of the 40's and 50''s era. Usually the police sirens are alarming in the background as they are approaching the scene 'to round up' the criminals who they 'set up.' Thanks