If one lives down here, one is prepared to not like anything written by outsiders about our little world. Why, you landlubbers may ask? Because they never get it right, that’s why. It’s like Hollywood trying to make a movie about the working class. The world of the working stiff is either over-romanticized or downright insulting. Lawrence Schiller does not make that mistake in his recently published book, Cape May Court House – A Death In The Night.
The book details events surrounding the death of the wife of a prominent Cape May Court House dentist, Dr. Eric Thomas, in a car accident late one winter night in 1997. Thomas, who was also in the car along with their young daughter, sues the Ford Motor Co. for the wrongful death of his pregnant wife Tracy who was driving the Ford Explorer at the time. Ford turns the tables on Thomas alleging Tracy Thomas did not die from a defective air bag but rather from strangulation.
The town itself is really not a focal point in the book, except to portray how small a community Cape May Court House is and how important one’s stature in that community can be when one’s reputation is disparaged. One reason the town is basically AWOL is because no one who lives in Cape May Court House would talk on the record and very few spoke at all about the man or his family.
Just how small a town Cape May Court House is becomes an issue as the case proceeds. At one point according to the book, attorneys for the dentist plead with the judge to seal the records regarding Ford’s accusations of “wrongdoing, misdeeds, or foul deeds” against their client. In making his case, Tom Mellon of Mellon, Webster & Mellon, Doylestown, Pa. asserts that Cape May Court House “is a very small community. It’s a very tight-knit community. Everybody knows everybody. This man is a minority in a very small community. If you don’t seal those expert documents for those who are in and out of this courtroom … somebody is going to get them.” The motion is denied.
What is most fascinating about the book is the intimate look it provides the reader inside the heads of Ford’s legal team, who were obviously far more forthcoming than attorneys for the plaintiff, therefore making the book list a bit. But Ford won, so naturally they would be a bit more “chatty.” Bill Conroy, at that time representing the Philadelphia firm of White & Williams, led Ford’s legal battle. The games begin when Conroy notices certain inconsistencies with Thomas’ original deposition. When he calls on experts regarding airbag deployment, he receives an opinion from one particular expert that he is not expecting — Tracy’s death was caused not by airbag deployment but by strangulation. As a result, Conroy decides to take on criminal lawyer Glen Zeitz to assist him in investigating the Thomas suit. Among Zeitz’s clients: Philadelphia mob boss Ralph Natale; a high school principal convicted of murdering a teacher and her two children; and Robert Marshall, convicted of murdering his wife in an insurance scam — the subject of the book Blind Faith.
In answer to their move, Mellon comes back with a criminal attorney of their own, Carl Poplar, with 30 years of experience in the criminal defense area.
The most likable character and the one the reader most likely to identify with is Judge Joel B. Rosen, a federal magistrate in Camden County who heard all motions and pretrial matters in the case. The poor man starts out thinking he’s dealing with just another Fortune 500 company liability case and is anxious to get matters dispatched as efficiently and expeditiously as possible without too many courtroom ploys. Boy, is he in for a surprise!
No criminal charges were ever brought against Dr. Thomas. He dropped his suit against Ford in July of 2001.
The back and forth between attorneys, as well the doggedly determined work of investigation are well detailed making Cape May Court House a good read — especially on a chilly winter evening.
Well, many of us have waited for this story to become public property. Having many of my legal friends review this case during and after the trail, all were in agreement with their conclusion. That conclusion is based on evidence and fact. The Ford Motor Company was not responsible for the death of Tracy Thomas.
Life is so beautiful, but can be terribly short, especially at the hands of another human being. I take exception to the fact the person targeted was prominent and well known in the black community. He wasn't then and is not now. Many minorities really know nothing about this dentist. Was the prominent dentise guilty? I don't know.
In closing, hatred can bred destruction on many levels. Apparently, the wrong people were asked questions. If you really want to know true facts concerning any issue regarding Cape May Court House, make your travels into the community of Whitesboro or any other community besides Court House.
The person responsible for her death should be put in a hole so deep, it would take his lifetime to crawl to the top. When and if he manages to reach the top, somebody will be waiting to kick him back to the bottom where he belongs.
Very sad story. Reminds me of O.J.
Why the county prosecutor decided not to bring criminal charges against Eric Thomas for his wife Tracy's death is way beyond me! He gave the reason that because of differing expert opinions a jury would not be able to decide on his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. What?! This should have been a common sense case. So much of the evidence points to his guilt. Who lets his 6 month pregnant wife drive late at night in bad weather, especially after he claimed she had fallen. I hope that the county prosecutor did fiinally wise up or find the evidence to convict this poor excuse for a human being (Eric Thomas). I had never heard of this case until I read this very interesting book and hope there was somehow some justice for Tracy Rose Thomas, her daughter Alex, her parents & her sister. At the end of the book the Roses had filed a civil suit against Eric – hopefully they won.
Was Dr. Eric Thomas ever charged with the murder? I can’t find any info later than 2001.
No, he was not. Dr. Thomas runs a successful dental practice to this day in Cape May Court House.
I read the book and there was never any mention of an investigation as to who was in the old white truck –the first person at the scene who drove off as soon as the 2nd person on the scene confirmed that he had called 911??? Did he just witness the accident scene or did he help the dr.set the scene????
I read the book too and I thought the same thing about the guy in the white truck. Throughout the book, I kept thinking about that guy and why he left so suddenly. According to what was written, he got nervous when Dr. Fitzpatrick, who was the second person to arrive at the accident scene after it happened, called 911 and to report the accidnt and the guy in the truck wanted to make a bee line before the police showed up. What was that about? I kept wondering throught the book who that man was and if he knows anything.