First trial against GM over faulty ignitions begins in NY

The first jury trial against US automaker General Motors over an ignition-switch defect linked to 124 deaths and scores of injuries began at a federal court in New York. GM reached settlements with hundreds of victims of the faulty switch -- which in some cases caused ignitions to unintentionally switch out of the "on" position, disabling airbags -- but a number of suits are pending against the carmaker, brought by both drivers and their beneficiaries. Among those plaintiffs is Robert Scheuer, w