Toyota's Recall Frees Jailed Minnesota Man

Status
Not open for further replies.
H

HTSS_TR

Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
19,528
Location
Lake Forest, CA
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/06/toyota.recall.appeal/index.html?section=cnn_latest

Good news for a Minnesota man sent to prison after the deadly sudden-acceleration crash of his Toyota Camry has been freed by a judge.

"This never seemed right. A man with his family in the car -- his pregnant wife -- goes on a suicide mission? Then, the recalls started, and the complaints sounded just like what happened to Mr. Lee," Schafer said in March. "It sounds just like a case of unintended acceleration."
 
Originally Posted By: Liquid_Turbo
Ya does it really make sense? Man with his pregnant wife and family drives like a maniac intentionally killing people?

Exactly! A travesty of justice that shouldn't have happened in that particular state (let alone elsewhere), with its reputation for lets say...forward thinking? If that had happened here, no doubt the case would have gotten much more critical attention given this states' history.
 
Originally Posted By: Tempest
Is there some reason you simply can't turn the car off when these things happen? Brakes?


The consensus of opinion (one that I do not share) is to put it in neutral and let the engine bounce off the rev limiter. Apparently reaching for the key and turning it off is too complicated. This is especially true of upper end owners who haven't had a key proper for a few vehicles removed.

It's sorta like if you're too advanced, you're retarded.
 
the family of the victims is glad the guy got out of jail. this clears the way to sue toyota for millions in wrongful death. but this was a 1996 Camry. ugh..about 12 years too early, eh?
 
When this showed up on the internet, the first thing which struck me was the ethnicity of the driver. It was obvious that he was rail-roaded. If his name was Mr Bob White, he would have never gone to jail let alone any criminal charges would have been filed against him.

Do you know how many blue haired citizens born and raised in USA have accidentally hit pedestrians? Do you know how many of them ever went to jail??

- Vikas
 
Last edited:
Did anyone ever see on those "police camera videos" shows, when some old guy gets stopped by the cops, handed his ticket and then sent on his way. But as the officer gets in his car, the old man throws the Camry into reverse and "floors" it, backing up onto the cruiser's hood and remains there, bouncing off the rev limiter. I always thought the old guy did that on purpose, but now it's got me thinking the car could have done that by itself?

Then there's the video of a woman in a parking lot that just floored it into a pole. Also a Camry. Both were the 2003 style one. Very odd.
 
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
the family of the victims is glad the guy got out of jail. this clears the way to sue toyota for millions in wrongful death. but this was a 1996 Camry. ugh..about 12 years too early, eh?


Also very strange. We had a '98 that used to lurch suddenly, but only because the engine temp sensor was bad, and would randomly report -30degrees causing the idle-up program to to 2500-3000rpm.
 
What doesn't make sense is why the judge and juror will send someone with a non drunk driving accident into jail in the first place.


Someone just wanted blood regardless of whether this make sense or not.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
What doesn't make sense is why the judge and juror will send someone with a non drunk driving accident into jail in the first place.


Someone just wanted blood regardless of whether this make sense or not.


From the story;

"He told investigators that he pumped the brakes as he exited Interstate 94 in St. Paul, Minnesota, and approached an intersection, said his new lawyer, Brent Schafer.

But Ramsey County prosecutors asserted at trial that Lee had his foot on the gas as he approached cars waiting at a red light. The car was moving at 70 to 90 mph when it struck the other vehicles. "

IT was NOT an accident. 70-90 MPH approaching a light? He got jail time for injuring/killing others.

Jail time happens all the time. (Thankfully)
 
Also I've had to remove posts (and give some time off) for trolling in this thread.

Please keep it on topic (like most of you have THANK YOU)

Bill
 
I'd say Toyota owes him some big money for the time (life) he lost in jail. That time can never be replaced, and the poor families who lost loved ones. The time and lives can't be given back, so IMO Toyota should pay out big time.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd say Toyota owes him some big money for the time (life) he lost in jail. That time can never be replaced, and the poor families who lost loved ones. The time and lives can't be given back, so IMO Toyota should pay out big time.


HUH? It was never proven that the vehicle had a problem other than the driver behind the wheel driving too fast and not applying the brakes correctly.

Toyota does not own him a penny. He got out of jail early AFTER KILLING THREE people (and two of those were CHILDREN). He owes the media and clueless judge some money for getting out early.

Sorry. This story is all about 2 things. Media hype and our poor "justice" system in my book.

Take care, bill
 
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd say Toyota owes him some big money for the time (life) he lost in jail. That time can never be replaced, and the poor families who lost loved ones. The time and lives can't be given back, so IMO Toyota should pay out big time.


HUH? It was never proven that the vehicle had a problem other than the driver behind the wheel driving too fast and not applying the brakes correctly.

Toyota does not own him a penny. He got out of jail early AFTER KILLING THREE people (and two of those were CHILDREN). He owes the media and clueless judge some money for getting out early.

Sorry. This story is all about 2 things. Media hype and our poor "justice" system in my book.

Take care, bill

The man may not get any compensation from Toyota, but he is a free man now. That's all matter to him now, I think that he is lucky to get out of jail early.

He was represent by a very bad lawyer in the first trial, that why the judge released him from jail pending the new trial, but the County Prosecutor immediately said she would drop the charges.
 
One has to be careful in figuring out what really happened here. The toyota recall issue played into this case but is NOT the reason he was set free. The fact is that the man's legal representation was so inept in the original trial he deserved a new trial. With all the publicity on the toyota issue, the county attorney was concerned about finding an impartial jury for a new trial.

I won't speculate on the victim's family and their motives (I believe they have already filed suit against Toyota).
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd say Toyota owes him some big money for the time (life) he lost in jail. That time can never be replaced, and the poor families who lost loved ones. The time and lives can't be given back, so IMO Toyota should pay out big time.


I think even if a defect in the car was proven Toyota would only be liable to the family that was killed and not for this guy's jail time. I personaly don't think the vehicle likely had a defect.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
NEW PRIUS RECALL COMING UP
2 3 4
Replies
67
Views
29K
mikered30
M
  • Locked
Red Flags for Toyota models that aren't recalled
2 3
Replies
42
Views
11K
440Magnum
T
  • Locked
Toyota secretive on 'black box' data
2
Replies
31
Views
11K
Vizzy
Back
Top Bottom