Damn Jim, that is terrible! Sorry to hear about your friend.
The backyard buddy seems to have a pretty solid locking mechanism, plus a backup lock if the cables go loose. It also has a hydraulic pressure release limiter in case the line gets cut or something.
http://www.backyard-buddy.com/auto-lift-comparison.html
Thanks guys for the feedback, I don't have much experience with these things, so it's good to hear what went into your decisions.
Rich, how high is your ceiling? How high will you be able to lift your car?