Judge Dismisses Chicago Suit Against Gun Industry
>>
>>CHICAGO (Reuters) - A judge on Friday dismissed Chicago's lawsuit against
>>the gun industry, ruling the city did not make its case that gun
>>manufacturers, distributors and dealers knowingly flood the city with
>>handguns.
>>
>>The ruling by Judge Stephen Schiller of Cook County Circuit Court will have
>>little impact on the lawsuits filed by some 30 cities against the gun
>>industry because it focused on the Illinois state law governing so-called
>>nuisance suits, a city spokeswoman said.
>>
>>Chicago's 1998 suit blamed gun manufacturers, distributors and dealers
>>ringing the city for endangering the health and welfare of residents in the
>>city, which has extremely strict gun laws.
>>
>>The suit demanded $433 million in damages to recoup the costs of urban gun
>>violence, including expenses by police, medical units and other municipal
>>agencies.
>>
>>Schiller said the city relied too much on statistical data governing gun
>>sales and suggested that police and prosecutors could adequately address the
>>problem of weapons sold in suburban gun shops.
>>
>>Earlier this year, Schiller tossed out the ``negligent entrustment'' element
>>of the Chicago suit, which charged the industry with putting guns into the
>>hands of buyers they knew or should have known would misuse them. In support
>>of the action, Chicago undercover police had videotaped gun sales in which
>>officers posed as gang members or made clear they would resell the guns.
>>
>>Chicago's strict gun control law passed nearly two decades ago allows for
>>handgun ownership only if the weapon's registration predated the law.
>>
>>The city will likely appeal the judge's ruling, the spokeswoman said.
>>
>>Chicago was the second U.S. city after New Orleans to file suit against the
>>gun industry, but none have yet come to trial. At least eight states have
>>passed laws barring such municipal lawsuits against the industry.
>>
>>However, a Brooklyn, New York, jury has held handgun makers legally
>>responsible for crimes committed with their guns, awarding more than
>>$500,000 to a teenager severely wounded in a 1995 attack.
>>
>>The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has also sued
>>the gun industry in Brooklyn federal court.
>>
>>CHICAGO (Reuters) - A judge on Friday dismissed Chicago's lawsuit against
>>the gun industry, ruling the city did not make its case that gun
>>manufacturers, distributors and dealers knowingly flood the city with
>>handguns.
>>
>>The ruling by Judge Stephen Schiller of Cook County Circuit Court will have
>>little impact on the lawsuits filed by some 30 cities against the gun
>>industry because it focused on the Illinois state law governing so-called
>>nuisance suits, a city spokeswoman said.
>>
>>Chicago's 1998 suit blamed gun manufacturers, distributors and dealers
>>ringing the city for endangering the health and welfare of residents in the
>>city, which has extremely strict gun laws.
>>
>>The suit demanded $433 million in damages to recoup the costs of urban gun
>>violence, including expenses by police, medical units and other municipal
>>agencies.
>>
>>Schiller said the city relied too much on statistical data governing gun
>>sales and suggested that police and prosecutors could adequately address the
>>problem of weapons sold in suburban gun shops.
>>
>>Earlier this year, Schiller tossed out the ``negligent entrustment'' element
>>of the Chicago suit, which charged the industry with putting guns into the
>>hands of buyers they knew or should have known would misuse them. In support
>>of the action, Chicago undercover police had videotaped gun sales in which
>>officers posed as gang members or made clear they would resell the guns.
>>
>>Chicago's strict gun control law passed nearly two decades ago allows for
>>handgun ownership only if the weapon's registration predated the law.
>>
>>The city will likely appeal the judge's ruling, the spokeswoman said.
>>
>>Chicago was the second U.S. city after New Orleans to file suit against the
>>gun industry, but none have yet come to trial. At least eight states have
>>passed laws barring such municipal lawsuits against the industry.
>>
>>However, a Brooklyn, New York, jury has held handgun makers legally
>>responsible for crimes committed with their guns, awarding more than
>>$500,000 to a teenager severely wounded in a 1995 attack.
>>
>>The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has also sued
>>the gun industry in Brooklyn federal court.