From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Date: Fri Feb 12 1999 - 07:32:30 MST
Paul Hughes wrote:
> Ok,
>
> So some people now think I'm paranoid about Y2K and our own
> government. Yet a landmark case just found gun
> manufacturers liable for the violent actions of someone
> else! Read on!!
>
> http://www.msnbc.com/msn/240271.asp
This will most likely get overturned on appeal. The judge obviously
instructed the jury to disregard the concept of 'jury nullification'.
The logic is specious, and the manufacturers may get the NRA to support
a suit against the city for unconstitutionally restricting the rights of
the victims to carry firearms, thus not being able to protect
themselves.
Moreover, there is a problem with jurisdiction. If the manufacturers
committed the acts in southern states, as alleged, then the trials
should be there. If the acts were in the boardrooms of the manufacturers
then the trials should have been in Conneticutt or New Hampshire or
Arizona, etc. Since there are no gun manufacturers based in New York,
the court there has no jurisdiction, even though residents of the state
may have standing. There is also the fact that since they are convicting
the manufacturers on the basis of interstate trade, they are imfringing
on the power of congress, which is also an avenue they can get the
ruling knocked out on.
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