Easter Sunday Accident (Atlanta: 2009, lawyer, house)

[movingtoduluth]

Ok, I am just hearing the news about they have arrested a 22 yr old in connection with the major catastrophe on Easter Sunday, I have to say that this is very sad, that it took this young lady all of this time to to actually confess, if I were a family member I would be very angry but also I would forgive her because God is a forgiving God, and if I were to leave this earth today my soul needs to be right but I am telling you she is going to get pure hell from the inside (meaning jail). What are your views on this?

[billl]

I just read the article this morning:

Police: Confession in Easter crash that killed 5 | ajc.com

First let me say that I grieve for the families who lost loved ones in this accident. I cannot possibly imagine what they are going through. It is a terrible tragedy. And whoever is responsible for this accident needs to be brought to justice. But does that mean that police should use whatever tactics they can to get a confession out of their prime suspect?

Notice the following timeline:

10:00 AM Police arrive in the neighborhood
3:00 PM SWAT arrives and surrounds the home, three women pull in to neighborhood, see SWAT, U-turn and leave
6:45 PM Expedition pulls in to garage, then is surrounded by police
7:05 PM Police leave with three women in custody
3:30 AM Two of the women were released
5:15 AM Michael arrested after confessing

10 HOURS. Police were questioning Michael for nearly 10 hours. And not 10 hours during the day, but overnight. From 7 in the evening to 5 in the morning.

What do you think you would say after 10 hours to get the nightmare of interrogation to end? Did she have access to a lawyer in the middle of the night? Was this confession genuine or coerced?

Police have a tough job. But really, sometimes I think they overstep their authority.

[movingtoduluth]

Originally Posted by billl

I just read the article this morning:

Police: Confession in Easter crash that killed 5 | ajc.com

First let me say that I grieve for the families who lost loved ones in this accident. I cannot possibly imagine what they are going through. It is a terrible tragedy. And whoever is responsible for this accident needs to be brought to justice. But does that mean that police should use whatever tactics they can to get a confession out of their prime suspect?

Notice the following timeline:

10:00 AM Police arrive in the neighborhood
3:00 PM SWAT arrives and surrounds the home, three women pull in to neighborhood, see SWAT, U-turn and leave
6:45 PM Expedition pulls in to garage, then is surrounded by police
7:05 PM Police leave with three women in custody
3:30 AM Two of the women were released
5:15 AM Michael arrested after confessing

10 HOURS. Police were questioning Michael for nearly 10 hours. And not 10 hours during the day, but overnight. From 7 in the evening to 5 in the morning.

What do you think you would say after 10 hours to get the nightmare of interrogation to end? Did she have access to a lawyer in the middle of the night? Was this confession genuine or coerced?

Police have a tough job. But really, sometimes I think they overstep their authority.

Hi Bill

I agree, I think sometimes they do overstep there authority that is no doubt, But I am not going to say I admit to driving the vehicle just so they could get off of my case, I truly think that this young lady was afraid but she should have definitely came forward before now, at least before this the public would have looked at her in a different way (meaning that it shows that she was very remorseful) now some of us have views that she is heartless, and honestly I think she is, you have taken five lives and you didn't come forth until now????? I pray for the victims families as well as her, I just can't imagine what was going through her mind..

[Merin]

I don't think she was ever going to come forward, its been almost 2 weeks since that accident happened. I am wondering why there is no front-end damage to that car.

[movingtoduluth]

Originally Posted by Merin

I don't think she was ever going to come forward, its been almost 2 weeks since that accident happened. I am wondering why there is no front-end damage to that car.

Hi Merin,

They did say that a mechanic had frequented the house a lot, I agree with you I feel that if they never would have found the car through a tipster that she would have never said anything, It is sad

[DPAT]

Originally Posted by movingtoduluth

Hi Merin,

They did say that a mechanic had frequented the house a lot, I agree with you I feel that if they never would have found the car through a tipster that she would have never said anything, It is sad

If a mechanic came to the house and fixed that car, they will probrably be on the hook also.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by Merin

I don't think she was ever going to come forward, its been almost 2 weeks since that accident happened.

I have to agree. I think she thought she would be able to leave it behind her as a "whoops". Now, whether or not she has a conscience enough to have been truly bothered by her actions, we will never really know. But considering the fact that most likely the mechanic and at least her Mother were aware of things, I don't think the plan was to fess up and turn herself in.

On a side note, the "failure to maintain lane" comment by police in some reports has me wondering if she was using a cell phone to talk or text while driving, which is what caused her to cause this. It hasn't been mentioned in any report, though an investigation into cell records should easily show if she was doing either of these at the time of the accident. It won't change the outcome, but it could help the case for tougher cell-while-driving laws in the future.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by DPAT

If a mechanic came to the house and fixed that car, they will probrably be on the hook also.

Not if they didn't know where/how the accident occurred. ??

[Go Blue 99]

Originally Posted by DPAT

If a mechanic came to the house and fixed that car, they will probrably be on the hook also.

I think it's unlikely that they told the mechanic how the damage happened.

[PeachyMJ]

You would think that ANY mechanic in the Atlanta area would have heard about the accident and if so, then he's guilty of trying to cover up a crime. TV is reporting that she lived in the same neighborhood as some of the victims.