Cape May Court House: A Death in the Night

by Lawrence Schiller

In 1997, the small town of Cape May Court House was shocked by the death of Tracy Thomas. It seemed unimaginable that after a low-speed auto collision with a utility pole on a snowy night, the lovely-- and pregnant-- wife of the town' s new dentist Dr. Eric Thomas, was dead. No one was surprised, several months later, to learn that Dr. Thomas was suing the giant Ford corporation for wrongful death, when coroner Elliot Gross stated Tracy more than likely died from the impact of the driver' side airbag. But during the course of Ford' s investigation, the motor company' s lawyers made a startling discovery. It seemed more likely she was strangled by none other than Dr. Thomas. The focus of the case turns as Ford moves from defendant to defacto prosecutor, even hiring a criminal attorney to present its case to the court. Investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Lawrence Schiller, takes the reader deep inside the twists and turns of one of the most surprising civil cases in history and delivers a fast-paced, riveting page-turner.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Book Club, Own

364 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

The ubiquitous Lawrence Schiller was born in 1936 in Brooklyn, and grew up in San Diego. After graduating from Pepperdine College, he went to work for Life magazine and the Saturday Evening Post as a photojournalist. His photographic abilities, both technical and artistic, laid the foundation for what has become nothing less than an astonishing career.

Schiller first made his name by photographing popular culture icons such as Sophia Loren, Richard Nixon, Timothy Leary, O.J. Simpson, James Earl Jones, Barbara Streisand, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Joe DiMaggio, and Clint Eastwood, just to name a few.

He moved easily through contrasting public worlds, developing stories for Life magazine while shooting nude photographs for Hugh Heffner and Playboy magazine. Schiller was always at the forefront, and always at the right place at the right time, experiencing historical events and developing relationships that would launch his career onto a path of success in a variety of mediums.

He published his first book, LSD, in 1966. Since then he has published eleven books, including W. Eugene Smith's Minamata and Norman Mailer's Marilyn. He collaborated with Albert Goldman on Ladies and Gentleman, Lenny Bruce and with Norman Mailer on The Executioner's Song and Oswald's Tale. He has directed seven motion pictures and mini-series for television.

From 1996 through 2002, Mr. Schiller published four books that became national bestsellers: American Tragedy, Perfect Murder, Perfect Town, Into the Mirror, and Cape May Court House. All made the New York Times Bestseller List. American Tragedy, Perfect Murder, Perfect Town and Into the Mirror were made into television mini-series for CBS. Mr. Schiller produced and directed each of the motion pictures.

Other motion picture credits are: Double Jeopardy, The Plot to Kill Hitler, The Executioner's Song, Peter the Great, Murder: By Reason of Insanity, Her Life As a Man, The Patricia Neal Story, Child Bride of Short Creek, Marilyn, The Untold Story, The Winds of Kitty Hawk, Hey, I'm Alive, The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald, and The Man Who Skied Down Everest.

Lawrence Schiller's projects have won countless awards, including seven Emmys and an Oscar for his work over the years. He is a consultant to NBC News and has recently written for The New Yorker and George magazines.

Schiller's haunting and beautiful portfolio of photographs of Marilyn Monroe is from the last professional photo session of the sex goddess, while making Something's Got to Give in 1962. She was fired from the movie and was dead two months later. Almost a half a century has passed since May 1962, and still these astonishing, daring, and beautifully crafted photographs—never available as limited editions, until now—continue to captivate and enthrall us.

His collection of images chronicling America in the 1960s is an important document of our time. With daring forthrightness, a decade of turmoil, creativity and entertainment is unrolled before our eyes. Schiller's uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time, affords us the privilege of surveying all of this history, captured with succinct and powerful images that have defined and continue to define the national conversation.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read made even better by a legal education. In a nutshell, Schiller builds no character development, develops no real history and recites only the facts. A true story, Cape May Courthouse recounts the story of a local dentist who sues Ford Motor Company for what he alleges is the airbag deployment related death of his wife. Ford, however, bolstered by the opinions of their forensic medical experts, posits the shocking and aggressive defense of homicide -- that the good doctor wasn't such pillar of the community after all. Did he kill his wife? Did the airbag kill the young pregnant mother? Will the local prosecuting attorney get involved? The author's book reads like a prolonged factual synopsis of a law school text book. If you like the facts, just the facts ma'am, then this book is for you. If, on the other hand, you like resolution, character development, clear motives and flowery language you will most likely be disappointed. Jane Eyre this is not. As for me, I enjoyed the straightforward approach. It was an enjoyable, factual, easy read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book on my shelf for a long time, and don't remember where I got it. Until I started reading it, I didn't realize it was not fiction.

This was a straightforward telling of the work of legal teams in a case of a man suing Ford Motor Company for the death of his wife after an accident. The family of the victim, and the defense team, suspect that he strangled his wife.

I found this to be an interesting read that I had trouble putting down, even though it wasn't character-driven. I also was curious about how the case turned out. I was pretty well convinced of the man's guilt.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book when it first came out in 2002, and when I came across it again recently, I couldn't remember the outcome so I decided to read it again. It was good but not as good as I'd remembered it. The bulk of the book concerns the suit against Ford by the murder suspect, and the narrative gets bogged down (in my opinion) with innumerable lawyers and their innumerable maneuvers.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard true crime, with the variation of the families being upper middle class African-Americans. Totally a one-night-stand read, and need to go back and see what happened to these people after.

PS I hate it when there's a character named Stephanie who's a bitch.

[Lenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black dentist is found in his Ford Aerostar on the side of the road with his dead pregnant wife at the wheel. He sues Ford for her death by faulty air bags. So begins a famous case in the law books.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audio-book version of the book on a recent trip and quite enjoyed it.
" Death in the Night- the CapeMay Courthouse Murder" by Lawrence Schiller it a true crime story which covers the event that began one winter night when a Ford Expedition driven by Tracy Thomas ctprashed into a pole, killing her and her unborn baby and injuring her husband, Eric, who was riding in the car along with their toddler child Alex.
First off, there is some question, not resolved in the lengthy court proceedings whether there was a crime. That there was an accusation that Tracy's husband faked the collision with the pole to kill her by strangulation. That was brought up by the Ford motor company as they worked to refute the plantiff's assertion that the forceful inflation of the airbag in the SUV caused Tracy's death.

What the book is about is the lengthy pre-trial machinations by Ford in their defense, and the equally forceful activities of the husband's lawyers to press their claims for damages that could result in a multi-million dollar award.
Listening to the narration, it was amazing to meow a relatively simple case ballooned into something that must have cost millions of dollars and thousands off man hours of dozens of lawyers and criminal experts. I thought it was fascinating to get a look into how lawyers think and manouver. Complications grew as tons of paper must have been shuffled, secrets exposed, families ruined and ulcers generated. And all for naught.

One can only pray that one will never get caught up in any kind of court case.
I found the story easy to follow for all its complexity, with excellent narration. Not for anyone looking for a Grisham-like climax and satisfying finish, but interesting all the same.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is an accident in the winter a wife driver , husband passenger and young daughter in the backseat. The woman died, the child was okay and the husband was unconscious but alive. The cars airbag was said the cause of the woman dying - she also was pregnant. The husband processed suing Ford for the accident. Thus begins a long and drawn out court cases are arguments. The woman who died her Mother suspected the husband of strangling her daughter. Lots of law info and court proceeding though out the book

[Jim Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 3 1/2 stars. Pregnant wife Tracy Thomas was killed in 1997 when the air bag in her Ford Explorer went off after a minor accident. Did the air bag kill her? When her husband, Dr. Eric Taylor, chose to sue Ford Motor Company, this question becomes paramount. Lawyers for Ford allege that the air bags couldn’t have created the damage that killed Tracy but that Eric had killed her & staged the accident. Fascinating and well written.

[Theodora Pendragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am probably biased because I knew Tracy and Eric when they were a happy couple stationed in Germany with the military. It's a heartbreaking story about the death of a wonderful woman; but was it an accident or was it murder? The author takes you on the bumpy ride of "Did he kill her?" Yes, he killed her! No, it was an accident! Read the book!

[Ted Haussman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did Eric Thomas murder his wife or did the air bag in the couple’s Ford Explorer kill her? That is the thought provoking question at the heart of this atypical true crime book. The book is mostly a memoir of the civil suit that Thomas brought against Ford and it leaves a lot of unsatisfactory questions. The saga is ably told and thought provoking.

[Elly Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing case of a suspected homicide vs. Ford Motor Company vs. a husband who claims his wife was killed by an airbag. Expertly written, impossible to put down. I was driven to write to Lawrence Schiller, the author, to express my appreciation. My heart goes out to the victim's parents and daughter.

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting story. Extremely detailed account of all the legal maneuvers. Understand why lawsuits take so long, have many implications and cost so much to each party. Keeps your interest in what the outcome will be.

[Krystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was hard to get through. Most of the book dragged out regarding technicalities regarding the car. If you're not car savvy, it's hard to stay focused. Loved the overall basis of the story as its a true story from an area near me.

[Jan Tisdale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eric sued Ford saying air bag killed her, Ford said she died of Manuel strangulation. It lets us as readers decide what really happened. I have my view what happened.
Story line was good but to many names and technical stuff regarding to Ford so was glad I finished book.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not expect to enjoy the book as it is very dry, but I kept at it until the end. Interesting process but did not really reveal anything. Could have just read the verdict and left it at that.

[Eileen Granfors · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book but a lot of lawyer procedures that fill pages without filling reader's main interests.

[Marianne Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

The big dummy got greedy.

[Tonya Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book, I loved the courthouse drama, this one kept me guessing.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read..it just kinda leaves you hanging (not the authors fault)

[Lelena Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just the facts, only facts. A dry and boring read.

[Sandy Heisey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavy, troubling reading.

[Verner Kreuter]

1/1/24. Based on true story. Did he kill her?

[Aaron Whitman]

2006

[J.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally I bought this book for the sole reason that I was born in Cape May Court House, which isn't a courthouse at all but rather a small town in southern New Jersey. When I got the book, I was surprised to find it was a true crime story about a doctor whose pregnant wife was killed in a car accident. He blamed seat belts and the car manufacturer and tried to sue, but in the course of an investigation, authorities became suspicious about the cause of death and ended up trying him for murder.

The book is an interesting read, and very informative in regards to seat belt safety and law. I enjoyed reading it, not the least because the doctor in the story took over a retiring physician's practice when he moved to Cape May Court House, and my father had been a patient of the older doctor. Small world, eh?

[Chuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a work of non-fiction and is the true story of a dentist in southern New Jersey that was in an automobile accident with his family in which his wife was killed. This dentist ultimately sued Ford Motor Company for product liability claiming that Ford's safety restraints were faulty and responsible for his wife's death. Ford during it's due diligence finally began to suspect that his wife had been strangled or otherwise killed and at this point the story becomes interesting. The book is one of legal maneuvers, depositions, courtroom drama and by the time the book ends you feel that you have earned a doctorate in jurisprudence.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written like a law student's summary of a case occasionally mixed with some pointless scene-setting detail (who cares what interstate an attorney was on when he had an idea?) It's also a squandered opportunity to critique the cost and delays of our legal system. Despite these defects it's almost impossible to put down, due to the intrigue of the underlying story. A Google follow-up made it all the creepier - the alleged murderer is available to provide your dental care under the name "Sunshine." (Shiver.)

[Darilyn DeMaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't put it down! I wrote this as I read, but have to admit that I enjoy watching Nancy Grace and this was my first true crime novels. I was motivated to keep reading because I wanted to see justice at the end. I was frustrated at the end of the book, but true justice is just that. It is not a movie where everything is tied up in a nice, neat bow. I enjoyed the journey through the trial. My prayers go out to the Roses and the hell they have to deal with, I'm sure to this day.

[Del · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading about this in the papers. I guess you could say I am a little disappointed that they were unable to solve the case. Maybe someday they will find if it was her husband who killed her. I also know the area having gone to Cape May on my summers when I lived in New York. It is well written and I liked it very much.

[Elizabeth Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that this book was a crime fiction when I picked it up and I was excited to read it because it takes place near Wildwood, NJ. I was unable to finish reading it, I ended up skipping to the end to find out what happened and I was disappointed. The story did not hold my attention. It was like the facts section of a legal memorandum was being stretched out into a full length story.

[Beverly Rowan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I used to live in this township. The premise of the story is good--did Dr. Thomas murder his wife, or did the car's airbag kill her in the car accident? However, the long, drawn-out games played by the lawyers involved in the lawsuit is extremely aggravating. And the reader never does learn how Tracy Thomas really died!