Subject: [NEXTEL-1] The Ford Police Incinerator, E-Rollover-350~Van >>>> What's Next?

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 04:46:14 -0500

FORD = F-ords O-verturn R-epeatedly D-aily

FORD MOTOR: IL Judge Orders Release Of 15-Passenger Vans' Safety Data
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A Chicago federal judge ordered Ford Motor Company to turn over safety data
on its 15-passenger vans in litigation over the deaths of two passengers in
one of the large vans when it flipped on a Kentucky highway in 1996, the
Associated Press reports.  The Company allegedly concealed the evidence in
the suit.

Federal Judge Robert Gettlemen ordered the Company to turn over safety data
on its 15-passenger vans - information the company has claimed doesn't
exist - and fined the automaker for concealing evidence, a plaintiffs
attorney told AP.  The ruling could have implications in other cases against
the automaker involving E350 vans, which have come under government scrutiny
because of numerous rollover accidents.

James Lowe of Cleveland, an attorney for some of the plaintiffs, said Judge
Gettlemen ordered Ford to pay all costs in the plaintiffs' attempts to
obtain the safety records.  The amount of that fine was not specified, AP
states.  More importantly, Mr. Lowe said, Judge Gettlemen said he would
inform the jury at trial that Ford's own records apparently showed the
15-passenger vans were not reasonably safe or stable.

"It's minimum justice as far as I'm concerned, but I'm feeling very
vindicated," Mr. Lowe told AP.  "We had been yelling for a long time that
Ford was not playing fair . and now they're going to pay a price."

Ford's only immediate comment was what it has said all along about the van:
The company remains confident that it's a very safe vehicle, AP states.
Despite the judge's decision to alert jurors of the hidden safety records,
Ford still will be able to present evidence at the trial to defend the van's
safety.

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