Trial Against Firearms Industry
Starts In Brooklyn, NY
Marketing Is Not To Blame For Murder
NEWTOWN, CT -- The NAACP's baseless lawsuit against the firearms
industry seeking to blame manufacturers for the acts of criminals
who illegally use firearms began today. The case is being
heard in the Brooklyn federal courtroom of Judge Jack B. Weinstein,
a well known liberal, activist judge.
The claims made by the NAACP and their liberal, anti-gun
lawyer Elisa Barnes are identical to several other lawsuits
that have been thrown out of court or overturned on appeal
across the nation. Most recently, an identical lawsuit, brought
by several California cities, including San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Berkley and Oakland was thrown out of court on March
7, 2003.
"This is the same baseless and defamatory claim that
has been thrown out of court and utterly rejected across the
county," said Lawrence G. Keane, vice president &
general counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation
(NSSF), the firearm industry's trade association. "Marketing
is not to blame for murder," Keane added.
Ironically, the case starts just days after the joint NSSF
and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
straw purchase detection and prevention program "Don't
Lie for the Other Guy" won a major national award. The
award, from the American Society of Association Executives,
recognizes programs that "propel America forward with
innovative projects in education, skills training, standards-setting,
business and social innovation, knowledge, creation, citizenship
and community service."
The "Don't Lie" program was created to help ATF
help retailers identify and deter the illegal "straw
purchase" of firearms.
"This award demonstrates the industry's genuine and
longstanding commitment to work with law enforcement to combat
the criminal misuse of firearms and further affirms what the
City of Boston said when it voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit
against the industry," Keane said.
In the paperwork requesting dismissal of its case against
the firearms industry, the City of Boston acknowledged that
the firearms industry as a whole is concerned with and committed
to the legal, safe and responsible sale and use of their products.
The city also acknowledged that the common goals it shares
with the firearms industry could best be reached through cooperation
and communication rather than expensive and time-consuming
litigation.
"It's hard to understand how this case can continue
when it's based on the same allegations a California judge
dismissed as unproven after three years of exhaustive, comprehensive
discovery," Keane said. "The NAACP's claims are
without basis in fact.
"It's unfortunate that organizations and municipalities
have chosen to sue the industry rather than work with it,
as the City of Boston did, to prevent crime, prevent accidents
and save lives. Enforcing existing laws is really a better
use of taxpayer money than filing expensive, baseless lawsuits
that will not prevent a single crime or save a single life,"
Keane added.
"This trial demonstrates the urgent need for Congress
to enact common sense legal reform that will restore integrity
and fairness to our nation's judicial system. The NSSF calls
upon Congress to pass the Protection of Lawful Commerce in
Arms Act," Keane said.
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S. 659/H.R.
1036) is sponsored by a majority of the members of the House
of Representatives and the Senate. The Act enjoys strong bipartisan
support.
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