Leroy N. Soetoro
2024-04-19 02:51:58 UTC
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/gun-makers-urge-us-supreme-court-hear-
appeal-mexicos-lawsuit-2024-04-19/
April 18 (Reuters) - U.S. gun manufacturers on Thursday asked the U.S.
Supreme Court hear their challenge to Mexico's $10 billion lawsuit seeking
to hold them responsible for facilitating the trafficking of firearms to
violent drug cartels across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Eight companies including Smith & Wesson Brands (SWBI.O), opens new tab
and Sturm, Ruger & Co (RGR.N), opens new tab in a petition, opens new tab
argued that a lower court wrongly concluded the case qualified for an
exception to a U.S. law that grants the firearms industry broad protection
from lawsuits over the misuse of their products.
A trial court judge had dismissed the case citing that law, the Protection
of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. But Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals in January concluded Mexico's claims fit within the narrow
exception to the liability shield.
The 1st Circuit did so after finding that Mexico had plausibly alleged the
business practices of the seven gun makers and one distributor it had sued
aided and abetted the illegal trafficking of guns to Mexico.
The companies on Thursday told the 6-3 conservative majority U.S. Supreme
Court that the 1st Circuit's ruling defied the high court's past
precedents and should never have been allowed to move forward.
"Mexicos suit has no business in an American court," their lawyers wrote.
The companies argued that absent the U.S. Supreme Court's intervention,
the U.S. firearms industry would face years of costly litigation by a
"foreign sovereign that is trying to bully the industry into adopting a
host of gun-control measures that have been repeatedly rejected by
American voters."
Alejandro Celorio, legal adviser to Mexico's foreign ministry, wrote on
the social media platform X that the county would "follow up on this
request and will be ready in case the Supreme Court decides to admit the
matter for study."
In its lawsuit filed in 2021, Mexico alleged that the companies undermined
its strict gun laws by designing, marketing and distributing military-
style assault weapons in ways they knew would arm drug cartels, fueling
murders, extortions and kidnappings in the country.
Mexico says over 500,000 guns are trafficked annually from the U.S. into
Mexico, of which more than 68% are made by the companies it sued.
Mexico said the smuggling has contributed to high rates of gun-related
deaths, declining investment and economic activity and a need for it to
spend more on law enforcement and public safety. The companies deny
wrongdoing.
--
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that
stupid people won't be offended.
Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem. It has none.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.
appeal-mexicos-lawsuit-2024-04-19/
April 18 (Reuters) - U.S. gun manufacturers on Thursday asked the U.S.
Supreme Court hear their challenge to Mexico's $10 billion lawsuit seeking
to hold them responsible for facilitating the trafficking of firearms to
violent drug cartels across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Eight companies including Smith & Wesson Brands (SWBI.O), opens new tab
and Sturm, Ruger & Co (RGR.N), opens new tab in a petition, opens new tab
argued that a lower court wrongly concluded the case qualified for an
exception to a U.S. law that grants the firearms industry broad protection
from lawsuits over the misuse of their products.
A trial court judge had dismissed the case citing that law, the Protection
of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. But Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals in January concluded Mexico's claims fit within the narrow
exception to the liability shield.
The 1st Circuit did so after finding that Mexico had plausibly alleged the
business practices of the seven gun makers and one distributor it had sued
aided and abetted the illegal trafficking of guns to Mexico.
The companies on Thursday told the 6-3 conservative majority U.S. Supreme
Court that the 1st Circuit's ruling defied the high court's past
precedents and should never have been allowed to move forward.
"Mexicos suit has no business in an American court," their lawyers wrote.
The companies argued that absent the U.S. Supreme Court's intervention,
the U.S. firearms industry would face years of costly litigation by a
"foreign sovereign that is trying to bully the industry into adopting a
host of gun-control measures that have been repeatedly rejected by
American voters."
Alejandro Celorio, legal adviser to Mexico's foreign ministry, wrote on
the social media platform X that the county would "follow up on this
request and will be ready in case the Supreme Court decides to admit the
matter for study."
In its lawsuit filed in 2021, Mexico alleged that the companies undermined
its strict gun laws by designing, marketing and distributing military-
style assault weapons in ways they knew would arm drug cartels, fueling
murders, extortions and kidnappings in the country.
Mexico says over 500,000 guns are trafficked annually from the U.S. into
Mexico, of which more than 68% are made by the companies it sued.
Mexico said the smuggling has contributed to high rates of gun-related
deaths, declining investment and economic activity and a need for it to
spend more on law enforcement and public safety. The companies deny
wrongdoing.
--
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that
stupid people won't be offended.
Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem. It has none.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.