An increasing number of lawsuits are being filed over fired Utah Highway Patrol trooper Lisa Steed. People who claim they have been wrongly convicted are trying to clear their names.
Steed's case is raising questions about what the innocent can do to protect their rights when stopped by police, even on a minor traffic violation.
Chad Ray was one of Lisa Steed's DUI convictions. On March 8, 2010, he had picked up his drunk brother and was headed home when Steed stopped him.
"I passed the walking tests," Ray said.
Though Ray said he wasn't drunk and passed all subsequent tests, he was arrested. And his drunk brother? Left along the side of the freeway.
"I said, 'Are you really going to leave my brother on the freeway like that?' She said, 'It ain't my problem,' " he said.
Ray ultimately chose to fight his conviction when he saw
news of Steed's troubles. His lawsuit is one of three so far involving Steed that prosecutors are not contesting. Attorney Mike Studebaker has filed on 21 other cases like Ray's, and he's looking into more than 90 others.
"We will file as many post-conviction cases as need to be filed," Studebaker said.
Studebaker explained the basic game plan for these post-conviction lawsuits, known as "petitions for post-conviction relief," is to argue that due to the misconduct that has been revealed about Steed, the convictions should be vacated.
Studebaker said details of Steed's record should have been disclosed to defense lawyers.