A judge ruled that a woman charged with reckless murder in a fatal traffic wreck can not testify as an expert witness about the car’s brake system. Jennifer Fram is not a certified mechanic but has worked on cars for a decade (since she was 16) and claims to have extensive knowledge about cars.
Her lawyer was planning to use her as part of a “My Cousin Vinny” defense plan. The court alleges Fram was drunk and high when she drove off of Dawes Lake Road after a rehearsal dinner and party for a wedding in which killed her boyfriend.
“She would amaze you about what she knows about cars. It’s like the character from ‘My Cousin Vinny.’”-attorney Steve Orso
The judge said Fram can testify about what happened during the April 2012 crash, but not on the technical aspects of the brake system.
This case bugs me because the attorney and the law views the vehicle as a part of the case that has little to do with the personal responsibility of the person driving it. In my opinion, you are just as responsible for maintaining the brakes on a vehicle as you are to not being drunk behind the wheel.
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