Cincinnati's Gun Lawsuit Dismissed
By JOHN NOLAN Associated Press Writer
CINCINNATI (AP) -- A state judge today dismissed the city's lawsuit against gun manufacturers, saying it was vague and unsupported by legal precedent.
Several other cities across the country also have sued the firearms industry. Today's action was the first dismissal of such a suit, a lawyer for gun manufacturers said.
Jim Dorr, a Chicago lawyer for gun makers Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. of Southport, Conn., and Smith & Wesson Corp. of Springfield, Mass., said he hopes to use the ruling by Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman in seeking the dismissal of 17 similar lawsuits representing 27 city or county governments.
``These lawsuits filed by the cities have been, in our opinion, nothing but smoke and mirrors with no legal foundation to them,'' Dorr said.
Cincinnati had sued the manufacturers, a distributor and three trade associations. The suit demanded reimbursement for the costs of providing police, emergency, court and prison services in connection with shootings in the city, including suicides and accidental shootings as well as homicides.
The city also sought damages for alleged reduction of property values and loss of tax revenues, plus court orders that would force the defendants to change the way they design, distribute and advertise their products nationally.
Only the Legislature, not the courts, has the authority to impose that type of regulation, the judge ruled. Ruehlman rejected other claims by Cincinnati as vague or not supported by laws or precedent in court cases.
Stanley M. Chesley, Cincinnati's lawyer, said he expects to appeal. The judge's ruling was premature because the city had not been allowed to review documents from the defendants, Chesley said.
AP-NY-10-07-99 1145EDT
Copyright © Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broad
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By JOHN NOLAN Associated Press Writer
CINCINNATI (AP) -- A state judge today dismissed the city's lawsuit against gun manufacturers, saying it was vague and unsupported by legal precedent.
Several other cities across the country also have sued the firearms industry. Today's action was the first dismissal of such a suit, a lawyer for gun manufacturers said.
Jim Dorr, a Chicago lawyer for gun makers Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. of Southport, Conn., and Smith & Wesson Corp. of Springfield, Mass., said he hopes to use the ruling by Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman in seeking the dismissal of 17 similar lawsuits representing 27 city or county governments.
``These lawsuits filed by the cities have been, in our opinion, nothing but smoke and mirrors with no legal foundation to them,'' Dorr said.
Cincinnati had sued the manufacturers, a distributor and three trade associations. The suit demanded reimbursement for the costs of providing police, emergency, court and prison services in connection with shootings in the city, including suicides and accidental shootings as well as homicides.
The city also sought damages for alleged reduction of property values and loss of tax revenues, plus court orders that would force the defendants to change the way they design, distribute and advertise their products nationally.
Only the Legislature, not the courts, has the authority to impose that type of regulation, the judge ruled. Ruehlman rejected other claims by Cincinnati as vague or not supported by laws or precedent in court cases.
Stanley M. Chesley, Cincinnati's lawyer, said he expects to appeal. The judge's ruling was premature because the city had not been allowed to review documents from the defendants, Chesley said.
AP-NY-10-07-99 1145EDT
Copyright © Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broad
Joe's Second Amendment Message Board