Re: Follow-up to Kim Thomas murder
Kim Thomas was murdered on July 27th, 1990. Ed Friedland, the victim's husband, was labeled the prime suspect from the start. Friedland always maintained his innocence and undertook his own investigation to find the real killer. Four years later, in 1994, he was finally indicted for it, but prosecutors dismissed the charge in 1995 for lack of evidence. In March of 1995 Friedland finally learned of Marion Gales, against whom, on March 29, 1996, Friedland filed and won a wrongful-death suit and was awarded $8.6 million by the jury. Gales asked for and was granted a judgment notwithstanding the jury verdict (JNOV), the judge ruling the statute of limitations had long since expired. On Dec. 29, 1998, the Court of Appeals of North Carolina reversed the opinion on the grounds Gales actively and deliberately concealed facts that would have led to his discovery as the killer (see rmwflaw.com. Friedland then sued the city of Charlotte and four police investigators, claiming they botched the investigation, maligned him and ignored Gales who had a history of area break-ins. The case is expected to go to trial next year. In May of 1998 the murder was featured on NBC's Dateline. Despite the jury finding against Gales, the Thomas murder is still officially listed as unsolved.
- Jeff |
