A 24-year-old US student who accidentally killed a taxi driver during a drunken road altercation cannot appeal against his manslaughter conviction, three appeal court judges ruled yesterday.
They unanimously rejected all five grounds for appeal raised by Kelsey Mudd (pictured), including a claim that one juror did not speak or read English well enough to deliver a proper verdict. Mudd was jailed for four years and three months last year by the Court of First Instance.
The taxi driver, Wong Chi-ming, 58, was dragged along a road, entangled in a seat belt, and was crushed against a concrete road divider as he tried to wrest control of his vehicle from the drunk student in June 2009.
Mudd was convicted of manslaughter, taking a vehicle without authority, dangerous driving and driving while over the legal alcohol limit.
Yesterday the appeal judges - Mr Justice Michael Hartmann, Madam Justice Clare-Marie Beeson and Mr Justice Andrew Macrae - said Mudd was 'very drunk', his blood-alcohol level five times the legal limit, when he drove Wong's car.
Witnesses had testified that at about 3am on June 27, 2009, Wong was seen struggling with Mudd, trying to drag him from his car outside the City Hall car park in Edinburgh Place. When Mudd drove off, Wong ran alongside the car and grabbed the steering wheel through the open driver's door before falling and becoming entangled in a seat belt.
Dragging Wong, the taxi rammed through a metal railing dividing Connaught Road and collided with two other taxis before stopping.