Walden v. Fiat-Chrysler

    ATLANTA, GA, May 12, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On April 2, 2015, a jury in Bainbridge Georgia rendered a verdict against Fiat-Chrysler in the amount of $150 million in the case of Walden v. Fiat-Chrysler (Decatur County Superior Court). Yesterday, May 7, Fiat-Chrysler filed a motion claiming it wants a "new trial."

Fiat-Chrysler cannot defend its product, so it continues to try to blame someone--anyone--for the damage it has caused to the Walden family and dozens of other victims of the defective Jeeps.

Fiat-Chrysler now blames the jurors, who took two weeks away from their own lives to hear evidence in this case. Fiat-Chrysler blames the judge, who allowed Fiat-Chrysler to present evidence in accordance with Georgia law. And Fiat-Chrysler now says that the life of 4-yearold Remington Walden was worth less than what the jury ruled.

The jury's verdict was based on two weeks of evidence, not so-called passion or prejudice. In fact, the jury foreperson is a personal friend and client of Fiat-Chrysler's own lawyer--whom she called "my personal lawyer." The jury included four teachers.

Judge Kevin Chason applied the law and gave all parties a fair trial. In fact, he granted several of Fiat-Chrysler's requests over the objections of the Walden family. Specifically, although there were well over 50 wrecks in which rear-tank Jeeps were rearended and leaked fuel, Judge Chason only allowed the family to tell the jury about 17 of them. At Fiat-Chrysler's request, Judge Chason prevented the jury from hearing about many of Fiat-Chrysler's internal emails concerning rear-impact Jeep fires, even though those emails would have further shown what Fiat-Chrysler knew about the problem.

Fiat-Chrysler has been sued at least 44 times because exploding Jeeps burned or killed Americans. Before this trial, Fiat-Chrysler settled all those cases confidentially - and did so to keep the American people from learning about the danger.

"Instead of trying to blame others, Fiat-Chrysler really should look in a mirror," said Jim Butler, lead counsel for the Walden family. "Fiat-Chrysler has lied to the American people by claiming the Jeeps are 'absolutely safe.'"

"Those Jeeps with rear gas tanks are indefensible and Fiat-Chrysler knows it - that is why Fiat-Chrysler has settled every other case. That fact alone proves Fiat-Chrysler knows the Jeeps are indefensible," said Jeb Butler, co-counsel for the Walden family. "The jurors who heard the evidence did not buy what Fiat-Chrysler was trying to sell them."

Fiat-Chrysler's motion is nonsense--what it really wants is for the Judge to reduce the verdict. That is up to the Judge.

"One thing is certain - the last thing Fiat-Chrysler really wants is a new trial. It cannot win, because it has no defense," said Jim Butler.

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