GREAT NEWS!
The following press release was distributed by Beretta U.S.A. Corp. this week regarding a lawsuit against them that was sponsored in part by Handgun Control, Inc.
NRA-ILA
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Beretta U.S.A. Corp.
17601 Beretta Drive
Accokeek - Maryland 20607
CALIFORNIA COURT AWARDS PAYMENT OF DEFENSE COSTS TO BERETTA U.S.A. CORP. IN LAWSUIT FILED BY HANDGUN CONTROL, INC.;
DISMISSES HCI MOTION TO OVERTURN VERDICT
January 22, 1999 -- Alameda County, California Superior Court Judge Richard Hodge today ordered plaintiffs in the case Dix v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp. to pay Beretta U.S.A. for costs incurred by the company while defending itself in the litigation, which was filed by the plaintiffs with the assistance of Handgun Control, Inc. and the San Francisco law firm of Hersh & Hersh. The Dix case received national publicity when the parents of a teenage youth shot by a friend sued the firearm manufacturer on the theory that the pistol used in the accident should have included "smart gun" technology or an internal locking mechanism to prevent its misuse.
The award of costs was the third consecutive loss for Handgun Control, Inc. in the case, coming on the heels of a decision on January 15, 1999 by the Superior Court to throw out a motion filed by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence (the legal action arm of Handgun Control, Inc.) to dismiss a November 1998 jury verdict in favor of Beretta U.S.A. Corp. on the grounds of juror misconduct.
"Handgun Control, Inc's consistent failure in the Dix case should stand as notice to other litigants that this organization is out of touch with the law and with the merits of these cases," commented Jeff Reh, General Counsel for Beretta U.S.A. Corp. "During the Dix case, Beretta presented its concerns about the safety and feasibility of internal locking devices for handguns and the jury agreed with our reservations about this technology. The jury also overwhelmingly determined that the responsibility for safe storage of any firearm lies with the owner, not with the original manufacturer of the gun."
"More importantly," Reh added, "all potential litigants in cases of this type -- including mayors of cities which might be contemplating filing lawsuits against the firearms industry should note our industry will aggressively defend itself and will seek reimbursement of litigation costs. Any city which thinks that it can sue the firearms industry without financial risk to itself is mistaken."
In addition to Reh, Beretta U.S.A. Corp. was defended in the Dix case by Robert Gebhardt and Craig Livingston of the San Francisco law firm of Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon and by Lawrence Keane of the White Plains, New York law firm of Pino & Associates.
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This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA.
[This message has been edited by Morgan (edited 01-28-99).]
The following press release was distributed by Beretta U.S.A. Corp. this week regarding a lawsuit against them that was sponsored in part by Handgun Control, Inc.
NRA-ILA
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Beretta U.S.A. Corp.
17601 Beretta Drive
Accokeek - Maryland 20607
CALIFORNIA COURT AWARDS PAYMENT OF DEFENSE COSTS TO BERETTA U.S.A. CORP. IN LAWSUIT FILED BY HANDGUN CONTROL, INC.;
DISMISSES HCI MOTION TO OVERTURN VERDICT
January 22, 1999 -- Alameda County, California Superior Court Judge Richard Hodge today ordered plaintiffs in the case Dix v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp. to pay Beretta U.S.A. for costs incurred by the company while defending itself in the litigation, which was filed by the plaintiffs with the assistance of Handgun Control, Inc. and the San Francisco law firm of Hersh & Hersh. The Dix case received national publicity when the parents of a teenage youth shot by a friend sued the firearm manufacturer on the theory that the pistol used in the accident should have included "smart gun" technology or an internal locking mechanism to prevent its misuse.
The award of costs was the third consecutive loss for Handgun Control, Inc. in the case, coming on the heels of a decision on January 15, 1999 by the Superior Court to throw out a motion filed by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence (the legal action arm of Handgun Control, Inc.) to dismiss a November 1998 jury verdict in favor of Beretta U.S.A. Corp. on the grounds of juror misconduct.
"Handgun Control, Inc's consistent failure in the Dix case should stand as notice to other litigants that this organization is out of touch with the law and with the merits of these cases," commented Jeff Reh, General Counsel for Beretta U.S.A. Corp. "During the Dix case, Beretta presented its concerns about the safety and feasibility of internal locking devices for handguns and the jury agreed with our reservations about this technology. The jury also overwhelmingly determined that the responsibility for safe storage of any firearm lies with the owner, not with the original manufacturer of the gun."
"More importantly," Reh added, "all potential litigants in cases of this type -- including mayors of cities which might be contemplating filing lawsuits against the firearms industry should note our industry will aggressively defend itself and will seek reimbursement of litigation costs. Any city which thinks that it can sue the firearms industry without financial risk to itself is mistaken."
In addition to Reh, Beretta U.S.A. Corp. was defended in the Dix case by Robert Gebhardt and Craig Livingston of the San Francisco law firm of Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon and by Lawrence Keane of the White Plains, New York law firm of Pino & Associates.
=+=+=+=+
This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA.
[This message has been edited by Morgan (edited 01-28-99).]
