General Discussion

pnwmom

(108,959 posts) Fri Jun 6, 2014, 05:42 PM Jun 2014

This owner of a defective GM vehicle lost her fiancé and was falsely convicted of homicide.

GM knew about the defect that was causing its cars’ ignition switches to shut down, along with power steering and breaking, for 13 years before they finally recalled millions of affected vehicles. In the meantime, people were dying. This woman was convicted of criminally negligent homicide for an accident that killed her fiancé -- an accident that was caused by her vehicle, not her driving.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-woman-convicted-in-death-later-linked-to-gm-defect/

Mikale Erickson, the father of two young children, died in November 2004 while riding in a Saturn Ion in Canton, Texas, when the car went off the road in the middle of the day. His fiancee, Candice Anderson, was driving.

There were no skid marks and no obvious cause. The airbags did not deploy.

Anderson was thrown through the windshield and barely survived.

Anderson had a trace amount of anti-anxiety medication in her system, but no other drugs or alcohol. She was charged with manslaughter, and pleaded guilty to criminal negligent homicide.

She told CBS News, "...it's been a question if I was at fault for his death, and I've carried it for so long." As a convicted felon living in a small town, she said, "every part of my life's been affected from it."

SNIP

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/business/gm-response-to-a-fatal-flaw-was-to-shrug.html?hp

It wasn’t until six weeks after the December meeting, on Jan. 31, 2014, that the G.M. committee finally agreed to recall the vehicles with the switch, which in 2001 had been discovered to have so little tension, or “torque,” that it could inadvertently shut off if jostled, disabling electrical systems like power steering, power brakes and air bags.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/texas-crash-blamed-fiance-caused-gm-defect-report-article-1.1818500

Candice Anderson, who was driving, went through the windshield and barely survived.

SNIP

She avoided prison, but spent five years on probation.

SNIP

GM said it will establish a compensation program for families of victims and those who suffered serious injuries in accidents related to the broken switches.
The program was expected to begin accepting claims on Aug. 1.

5 replies

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This owner of a defective GM vehicle lost her fiancé and was falsely convicted of homicide. (Original Post) pnwmom Jun 2014 OP

does the media know about this? they would have underthematrix Jun 2014 #1

I think the media knows about it NOW, but this story just came out. n/t pnwmom Jun 2014 #2

pnwmom Diclotican Jun 2014 #3

This woman has lived with a heavy load of guilt for ten years, but she didn't pnwmom Jun 2014 #4

pnwmom Diclotican Jun 2014 #5

underthematrix

(5,811 posts)

1. does the media know about this? they would have

Reply to pnwmom (Original post)

Fri Jun 6, 2014, 08:00 PM

Jun 2014

milked this story for months and months

pnwmom

(108,959 posts)

2. I think the media knows about it NOW, but this story just came out. n/t

Reply to underthematrix (Reply #1)

Fri Jun 6, 2014, 08:09 PM

Jun 2014

Diclotican

(5,095 posts)

3. pnwmom

Reply to pnwmom (Original post)

Fri Jun 6, 2014, 08:17 PM

Jun 2014

pnwmom

Then it is time for them to get a retail - to make sure their name is clearned - and the guilty one - in this case General Motor is paying a very nice settlement for the ones who have been arrested and convicted of homicide - when it was GM who made a faulty ignition switch - who made it possible for this to happened - everyone of them should have their name cleared - and at least a few million dollar given to them by General Motor - to compensate for the grief - the horrible experience of being accused trialled and then put in a prison for many years.... And GM should also pay for the trial where their name is cleared - to the last penny....

And then - as public as possible - also give them a full apology for the grief, sorrow and time spend in prison - by the top executives of GM - who in turn should be hold accountable for what they tried to cover up - and possible, if evidence said - be put in the same prison cell as the innocent ones had the "pleasure" of doing time for at least as long as they did...

And then - GM should pay in the compensation program - a lot of money to the victims - the families and everyone else who suffered serious injuries - even if it would be years and years and years to recover for it - GM should foot the bill - all the way to full recovery for the victims of THEIR faulty switches...

Diclotican

pnwmom

(108,959 posts)

4. This woman has lived with a heavy load of guilt for ten years, but she didn't

Reply to Diclotican (Reply #3)

Fri Jun 6, 2014, 08:27 PM

Jun 2014

have to spend time in prison -- her sentence was for five years of probation.

I agree, though, that GM owes both this woman and the family of her fiancé a large settlement.

Diclotican

(5,095 posts)

5. pnwmom

Reply to pnwmom (Reply #4)

Fri Jun 6, 2014, 08:38 PM

Jun 2014

pnwmom

Regardless of she was not put in a prison or not - she deserve her name back - and a large settlement - who would hurt GM badly - and I guess it is a few out there who INDEED has been convicted and ended up in a prison for years - because of GM unwillingness to fix the faulty ignition system... If they was given back their name - and a real settlement - at least it would be some justice for them in the end...

Even if they never can get the years back - and would never get their life back as it was before the accident - who was GMs fault - not their....

And GMs executives should be hold accountable - even if they never put the ignition systems in the cars - they was in the final word - responsible for not doing the right thing - stop producing the systems who was put in the cars - and who ended up killing others - if a fair world - Executives who made it possible should end up in a prison for years - 20-30 years at least - maybe even more because of THEIR NEGLIGENCE when it come to safeguard their own products...

Diclotican

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