Jury Clears GM in Thomas Civil Lawsuit

A Kansas City jury says General Motors owes nothing to the mother and the seven children of former Kansas City Chiefs player Derrick Thomas. The family had charged General Motors had made a vehicle with a defective roof which caused mortal injuries to Thomas in a rollover crash four years ago. The jury has voted 10-2 in favor of G-M. Thomas’ mother, Edith Morgan, is disappointed in the jury’s verdict and is uncertain whether there will be an appeal. She says she will continue her campaign for stronger safety measures for vehicles. The attorney for the family had asked for $70-to-100 Million. The case took four years to get to trial. It took five days of testimony and a day and a half for the jury to decide General Motors is not at fault in Thomas’s death in a rollover crash. Thomas’ family contended that the roof of his 1999 Chevrolet Suburban was too weak, and that it collapsed and broke his back in the January 23, 2000 accident. Thomas died the following month. Thomas was a star linebacker both at the University of Alabama and for the Kansas City Chiefs.