Ford Says Jury Misconduct Led to Verdict

Ford Motor Co. said “serious” jury misconduct led to a $295-million verdict against the world’s No. 2 auto maker in July, in a California case involving a 1993 Bronco accident that killed three people. Ford raised the misconduct allegations Wednesday in court papers asking for a new trial. Among other things, the company said at least one juror watched a television news program during deliberations that raised safety questions about Ford Mustangs, while a second juror talked of a nightmare in which all of the jurors’ children die in a Ford Bronco. The misconduct claims are based on the sworn affidavits of a deputy district attorney, the jury foreman and other jurors who served on the 12-member panel in Stanislaus County Superior Court, Ford said. “The misconduct of several jurors seriously prejudiced Ford, tainted the verdict in this case, and requires a new trial under well-established standards,” Ford said in the court papers. Shares of Ford, which is based in Dearborn, Mich., rose $1.63 to close at $50.88 on the New York Stock Exchange.