The driver said he believed he was participating in a temporary business arrangement. Michael had instructed him to park the truck across the private road and wait nearby.
According to the driver, Michael promised the matter would be resolved within an hour.
He had expected me to sign quickly.
Michael’s attorney later argued that financial pressure had clouded his judgment. He portrayed the confrontation as a family dispute that had escalated beyond what Michael intended.
But the evidence showed planning.
The contract Michael carried had been prepared in advance. It attempted to transfer the property for a fraction of its appraised value. Several provisions were written to make the transfer nearly impossible to reverse.
Worse for Michael, the porch security system had recorded most of our exchange.
The audio was not perfect, but it clearly captured him telling me that the truck would remain until I signed. It also recorded his statement that I would eventually run out of food and recognize that he had control of the situation.
