Bench Trial Date Set

Hi Everyone.

It's been so long time since I last updated and a long time since I even logged into Change.org.

I'm sorry for the long time between posts. The whole assault case and legal stuff really took a toll on me, but I'm a lot stronger now, than I was and I am so please with the support that people have showed. So many amazing comments, from so many wonderful people. ❤️

Near the end of 2021, my lawyer said it would be a good idea to remove Hyundai Motors America (HMA) from the wrongful termination case, even though HMA payed me as a 1099 employee, because the judge might get annoyed. I agreed to have them removed and my lawyer emailed me a copy of the papers he filed.

That was the last I heard from my lawyer for almost a year. Despite requests for updates. I never heard anything from him in 2022, so I eventually called the Provo 4th District courts and found, to my astonishment, that the case had been closed!

I complained to Judge Lund's assistant and eventually had the case reopened. I couldn't believe that my lawyer didn't know about it.

Anyway, since then, there have been a couple of status meetings, between the lawyers and the judge. After the first status conference, Murdocks lawyers wanted to take my deposition, but my lawyer ignored their email requests. Eventually, he got back to them, telling them that I'm in Australia and it will have to be a remote deposition. Murdocks lawyers insisted that I had to be in SLC, but then after a second status hearing, a bench trial date was set for Oct 3rd 2023 and Murdocks lawyers said they no longer wanted a deposition.

I've booked my flight and will be back for the trial. I've got no idea if I'll prevail, but I really don't care. All I want is justice.

The guy who assaulted me, Doug Thorn is now the general manager of Murdock Hyundai. I've been told that his temper has been unleashed to customers and others since my assault. The problem is, he's good at selling, so they keep him on, even though he has anger management issues and a litany of car sales criminal convictions in the past.

I don't have anything against Doug. I forgave a long time ago. I think deep down Doug is probably a nice guy, who means well. He has two great sons who work there, who I never had a problem with and got along with well, but Doug was alway abrasive, so I avoided him as much as possible.

I've posted a screen capture of the Murdock Hyundai careers page. I thought I'd do this, because the first value they list is INTEGRITY. As salesman, we had to memorise these values, but integrity was often something the managers and others ignored. Doing what is right is hard sometimes. Blake Murdock and his brother, as owners, did not show integrity in my case!

When you employ someone, you have a duty of care over them. You can't destroy their mental health, allow thugs to get away with violence, then reward that violence with job promotions, while also destroying the victims ability to pursue the American Dream.

I think the heading at the top of the screen capture is stinging too "When you walk through our doors, you feel like family". To be honest, while I was working there, it did feel like family. I had a great time. I had so many complements from amazing customers and I still have a couple of good friends working there, but all it took was one person and poor leadership based on fear, because I went to the police, to destroy that sense of family.

Thanks again for your amazing support.

Please share this. I'll let you know how the trial goes.

Matthew