Koua Fong Lee

On August, 10, 2010, Koua Fong Lee was exonerated after serving three years of an eight year prison sentence for a crime he did not commit.

Koua and his family

A terrible crash

On June 10, 2006, Koua Fong Lee was driving home with his family when his 1996 Toyota Camry suddenly accelerated on the Snelling Avenue exit ramp, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Koua tried to pump the brakes. Despite his efforts, the vehicle would not stop. Koua collided with another vehicle, ultimately killing a man and two children and injuring two others.

The trial

At trial, witnesses described Koua’s car accelerating “like a rocket.” Family members who were riding with Koua, and Koua himself, testified that Koua tried to pump the brakes, but the car would not stop. Investigators cited the absence of skid marks as evidence Koua didn’t brake before the impact.

Toyota’s recall

Two years after the conviction, reports emerged of other Toyota drivers experiencing sudden acceleration, prompting Toyota to recall millions of cars. The Great North Innocence Project, alongside pro bono attorneys Brent Schafer and Bob Hilliard, discovered strong evidence that, like other Toyota vehicles, Koua’s car malfunctioned. Students working on the case through the Innocence Clinic at the University of Minnesota Law School interviewed numerous other Toyota drivers who had experienced the same problems with their own Toyotas, ultimately collecting over 50 affidavits from them. 

Justice, finally

Koua filed for post-conviction relief in 2010, citing new evidence of unintended acceleration in 1995 and 1996 Camry’s. On August 5, 2010, he was exonerated when the judge ordered a new trial. The prosecutor declined to pursue further charges, securing Koua’s release.

Koua at his home

In a subsequent civil case against Toyota, expert testimony indicated the Camry had a defect that caused unintended acceleration. The jury in this suit found Toyota to be primarily at fault and awarded Koua damages. Three other 1996 Camry owners testified at trial about experiencing similar sudden acceleration incidents with their vehicles, supporting Koua’s account of mechanical failure rather than driver error.

The Minnesota Legislature would eventually award Koua compensation for the time he served due to being wrongfully convicted. Koua’s story is featured on the National Registry of Exonerations.

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