Mexico Lawsuit against Gun Industry Case Moves Forward
GIFFORDS Law Center filed an amicus brief in the case.
Washington DC — GIFFORDS Law Center, the legal arm of the gun violence prevention group GIFFORDS, released the following statement after the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued an opinion in a lawsuit the government of Mexico filed against several gun companies for facilitating gun trafficking to cartels across the border. The court held that the case can move forward, because Mexico plausibly alleged that the companies had violated federal US law. The gun companies had argued that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), the federal law that gives the gun industry extraordinary legal immunity, shielded them from liability, but the appeals court held that the companies were not entitled to those protections if their conduct violated the law.
GIFFORDS filed an amicus brief with other gun violence prevention groups in support of Mexico last year.
David Pucino, Legal Director & Deputy Chief Counsel, GIFFORDS Law Center:
“When a corporation breaks the law, those who are harmed have the right to hold them accountable in court. That principle is a bedrock of our legal system, and as the First Circuit opinion shows, irresponsible gun companies are not exempt just because their victims are not in the US. There is no free pass to break the law, and those who are responsible for fueling the gun trafficking that arms violent drug cartels must be held to account.
“As a gun violence prevention group, it is our responsibility to hold the gun industry accountable for taking lives in our country and beyond our borders. We are proud to support Mexico as it fights against the flood of illegal guns and the bloodshed they bring.”
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