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Toyota Recalls May Free Jailed Camry Owner

Immigrant convicted in fatal crash, despite claim that brakes failed

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 22, 2010 12:12 PM CST

(Newser) – Toyota’s big recalls could vindicate and free a Minnesota man currently behind bars for vehicular manslaughter. Koua Fong Lee, a Hmong refugee from Laos, has always claimed that it was a brake failure that caused him to crash his Camry into another car on an off-ramp in 2006, killing the other driver. But a jury didn’t believe him, and he was sentenced to eight years in prison for vehicular manslaughter.

When the media storm around Toyota erupted this year, Lee’s lawyers checked and discovered that his car, a 1996 Camry, had been the subject of a similar recall for “unintended acceleration” 10 years earlier, a fact that was never presented in the trial. Now the victims' family wants the case reopened, and the county prosecutor says she’d welcome an inspection of the car to see if a mechanical failure may have occurred.

In an undated photo provided by Toyota Motor Corp., a 2010 Toyota Camry is seen.
In an undated photo provided by Toyota Motor Corp., a 2010 Toyota Camry is seen.   (AP Photo/Toyota Motor Corp.)
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Good Morning America's report on the plight of Koua Fong Lee   (ABC)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
amandafromIOWA
Mar 10, 2010 6:50 PM CST
Im sorry, but i do not beleive that this mans Camry sped out of control. Unfortunatly, too many people we take advantage of this huge recall and make up stories. Deport him back to his home country and free up precious jail space.
nellpost
Feb 23, 2010 4:53 PM CST
Without a doubt, the "immigrant" should be released and frankly, well compensated (!) for this injustice!
QueenAlli
Feb 22, 2010 9:11 PM CST
Wow! get free and sue their asses.

More Newser Stories

Toyota Recalls Yet Another 2.17M Vehicles

US: Toyota Was Right About Acceleration

Toyota Settles Runaway Lexus Crash for $10M

Faulty Camry Blamed for Deadly Crash

Feds Fine Toyota $16.4M


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