We win round one..
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991008/ts/guns_cincinnati_2.html
Court Rejects Cincinnati Suit Against Gun Industry
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - A judge Thursday threw out Cincinnati's lawsuit seeking damages from several gunmakers -- a suit
similar to others pending in more than two dozen U.S. cities -- saying he had no authority over the issue.
The lawsuit demanded gun companies reimburse the city for costs incurred in gun-related crimes. But the judge said
gunmakers are not responsible for the criminal misconduct of people who misuse firearms.
Judge Robert Ruehlman of the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court said, ``In the view of this court, the city's complaint
is an improper attempt to have this court substitute its judgement for that of the legislature...''
And he said the city's claims were flawed because the city does not have the legal authority to recover expenditures ``for
ordinary public services'' like law enforcement, which it has a duty to provide.
Stanley Chesley, the lead attorney for the city, told Reuters he was confident Ruehlman's decision would be overruled by
an appeals court. He called the dismissal ``premature and without legal precedent.''
Chesley said he had been assured by the Cincinnati City Council that they would authorize him to proceed with an appeal.
The original council vote authorizing him to file the lawsuit, which sought substantial but unspecified damages, was along
straight party lines, with the five Democrats on the nine-member City Council in favor of the action. The firearms industry
challenged the suit, resulting in Thursday's ruling.
Twenty-seven other U.S. cities and metropolitan jurisdictions have filed similar suits against the gun industry, alleging it
should pay the costs of violence that shooting crimes yield.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991008/ts/guns_cincinnati_2.html
Court Rejects Cincinnati Suit Against Gun Industry
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - A judge Thursday threw out Cincinnati's lawsuit seeking damages from several gunmakers -- a suit
similar to others pending in more than two dozen U.S. cities -- saying he had no authority over the issue.
The lawsuit demanded gun companies reimburse the city for costs incurred in gun-related crimes. But the judge said
gunmakers are not responsible for the criminal misconduct of people who misuse firearms.
Judge Robert Ruehlman of the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court said, ``In the view of this court, the city's complaint
is an improper attempt to have this court substitute its judgement for that of the legislature...''
And he said the city's claims were flawed because the city does not have the legal authority to recover expenditures ``for
ordinary public services'' like law enforcement, which it has a duty to provide.
Stanley Chesley, the lead attorney for the city, told Reuters he was confident Ruehlman's decision would be overruled by
an appeals court. He called the dismissal ``premature and without legal precedent.''
Chesley said he had been assured by the Cincinnati City Council that they would authorize him to proceed with an appeal.
The original council vote authorizing him to file the lawsuit, which sought substantial but unspecified damages, was along
straight party lines, with the five Democrats on the nine-member City Council in favor of the action. The firearms industry
challenged the suit, resulting in Thursday's ruling.
Twenty-seven other U.S. cities and metropolitan jurisdictions have filed similar suits against the gun industry, alleging it
should pay the costs of violence that shooting crimes yield.