'Black box' information driving convictions (Automobile black boxes)

Automotive Body Repair News ^ | Oct 3, 2005 | Tim Sramcik

[Ben Mugged]

In what is becoming a familiar scene in courtrooms nationwide, information collected from a car’s “black box” was used to convict a motorist of criminal charges.

On June 30, a Peabody, Mass., District Court jury found Michelle Zimmerman guilty of misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide in the death of her front seat passenger, Kenneth Carlson. The jury concluded Zimmerman was driving negligently when she skidded out of control and struck a tree on Jan. 4, 2003. Information collected from the event data recorder (EDR), or black box, in her GMC Yukon reported that Zimmerman was driving 58 mph in a 40 mph zone—on an icy road, according to Essex Assistant District Attorney William J. Melkonian. EDR data also showed that Zimmerman never applied the brakes.

Judge Santo Ruma sentenced Zimmerman to two years in prison, one year to be served with the balance suspended for three years of probation. The conviction carries a statutory 10-year loss of license.

Defense lawyer Robert Weiner has vowed to appeal based on his claims that the EDR data was misinterpreted and that police illegally obtained the data. The case could set a legal precedent in Massachusetts and nationwide where EDR information already has been introduced in more than two-dozen cases.

[Old Professer]

Can't think very long around here after the topic gets hijacked; by the time your post appears everybody has forgotten the reason the original post showed up.

[P-Marlowe]

I personally believe this is a good thing.

Ben Mugged Since Sep 12, 2005

[Thumper1960]

The former is the admonition. The latter is a simile.

[Still Thinking]

I'll bet a scan of this thread could produce a reliable list of Freepers who are motor vehicle scofflaws and a list of those that are safe drivers.

We could also come up with a list of Freepers who dislike asparagus and another list of those who looked best dressed in winter colors. The two factors are not perfectly predictive of one another due to the increasing detachment of traffic laws from actual safety goals as the years go on.

It is ironic. People who worry about self incrimination usually are incriminating themselves.

So what? Aren't they the people for whom the Fifth Amemdment was written? The fact that it allows a few bad guys to get away is a far smaller problem then living under a government that could compel you to testify against yourself would be [is].