Bridgestone/Firestone and Ford Motor Company are to go on trial this week in a US lawsuit blaming them for a car crash that killed civil rights leader Earl Shinhoster.

Shinhoster and Samimah Aziz were passengers in a Ford Explorer that crashed on June 11 2000 in Georgia. The plaintiffs are claiming that the accident happened after a tyre on the Explorer blew out – and Bridgestone/Firestone knew the tyre was defective. They also claim Ford was to blame because of design defects causing the car to roll.