A driver who caused a 2015 Bismarck Expressway crash that killed two women, severely injured a third and resulted in a $1 billion jury award should get a new civil trial, his attorney argued Tuesday before the North Dakota Supreme Court.
Attorney Kay Nord Hunt argued that Jordan Morsette made an âunequivocal admission of his faultâ in causing the crash that killed Taylor Goven, 21, of Mandan, and Abby Renschler, 22, of Lincoln, and caused a traumatic brain injury to Shayna Monson, 21, of Dickinson. Hunt also said evidence that Morsette was drunk should not have been allowed in part of his trial.
A civil court jury in November 2019 awarded $295 million in punitive damages each to Monson and the families of Renschler and Goven. Jurors also awarded compensatory damages totaling $170 million to Monson and $36 million each to the families of the two women who died. Punitive damages are awarded as punishment; compensatory damages are meant to cover losses. The distr
Supreme Court asked to order new civil trial in fatal crash Follow Us
Question of the Day By - Associated Press - Wednesday, February 3, 2021
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The attorney for a driver who caused a 2015 expressway crash in Bismarck that killed two women and severely injured a third is urging the North Dakota Supreme Court to order a new civil trial in the case.
A jury in 2019 awarded $1 billion to the families of the two woman who were killed, 21-year-old Taylor Goven and 22-year-old Abby Renschler, and to the woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury, 21-year-old Shayna Monson. The district court later reduced the damage award to about $690 million.
By Doug Barrett
BC-ND–Fatal Crash-Supreme Court
The attorney for a driver who caused a 2015 expressway crash in Bismarck that killed two women and severely injured a third is urging the North Dakota Supreme Court to order a new civil trial in the case. A jury in 2019 awarded $1 billion to the families of the two woman who were killed, 21-year-old Taylor Goven and 22-year-old Abby Renschler, and to the woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury, 21-year-old Shayna Monson. Attorney Kay Nord Hunt argued Tuesday that because Jordan Morsette admitted he was drunk at the time of the crash, evidence of his intoxication should not have been allowed during the compensatory part of the trial because it “only served to inflame the jury.”
ND Supreme Court
BISMARCK, N.D. – The attorney for a driver who caused a 2015 expressway crash in Bismarck that killed two women and severely injured a third is urging the North Dakota Supreme Court to order a new civil trial in the case.
A jury in 2019 awarded $1 billion to the families of the two women who were killed, 21-year-old Taylor Goven, 22-year-old Abby Renschler, and to the woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury, 21-year-old Shayna Monson.
Attorney Kay Nord Hunt argued Tuesday that because Jordan Morsette admitted he was drunk at the time of the crash, evidence of his intoxication should not have been allowed during the compensatory part of the trial because it “only served to inflame the jury.”