Law: He Wrecks to Win

Oklahoma City Attorney John Merritt had a problem. He had to prove that his now paralyzed client had been going only 45 m.p.h., the legal limit, when he wrecked his car trying to avoid a county maintenance truck parked just over the crest of a hill. The defendants, owners of the truck, insisted that the driver must have been doing more than 85 m.p.h. A solution came to Merritt one day as he watched Hollywood Stunt Man Alan Gibbs put a car through a midair roll on TV. Why not have Gibbs re-enact the accident on videotape? That was fine with...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!