Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Syzygyone on May 15, 2003, 03:27:23 PM
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At last, some common sense from a jury! [/SIZE]
This just in:
"Posted on Wed, May. 14, 2003
Jury: Gun industry not cause of violence
By TOM HAYS
Associated Press
NEW YORK - Rejecting a lawsuit brought by the NAACP, a federal jury Wednesday cleared 45 gun manufacturers and distributors of allegations their marketing practices have stoked violence in black and Hispanic neighborhoods.
The jury deliberated for five days before reaching its verdict in the closely watched case that now goes to the judge for a final decision. The panel was unable to reach a verdict regarding 23 other defendants.
Chris Cox, chief lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, called the ruling "common sense" and said the lawsuit was "aimed at bankrupting a law-abiding American industry by holding them liable for the actions of criminals."
Kweisi Mfume, the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he was disappointed by the jury's findings.
In an unusual ruling, U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein decided ahead of time the jury would play only an advisory role and that he will make the final decision in the case. Both sides will submit written arguments interpreting the jury's verdict within 30 days.
The lawsuit claimed the firearms industry knew corrupt dealers were supplying products to criminals in minority communities and did nothing to stop it.
Rather than monetary damages, the NAACP sought to force distributors to restrict sales to dealers with storefront outlets, prohibit sales to gun show dealers and limit individual purchasers to one handgun a month.
The defendants and the gun industry argued it was unfair and illegal to hold manufacturers liable for the criminal use of a legal product. They also said that legislatures - not courts - should set standards for sales.
"Nobody wants to have someone selling to criminals," James Dorr, attorney for Sturm, Ruger & Co., said during closing arguments. "This industry certainly doesn't."
The verdict followed more than five weeks of testimony in the suit against 68 defendants, including Smith & Wesson Corp., Glock Inc., Colt Manufacturing and other major gun makers and distributors.
The plaintiffs built much of their case on previously sealed data - provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms under court order - detailing sales histories of weapons recovered at crime scenes in New York state from 1996 to 2000.
An expert witness testified that an analysis found 11 percent of handguns sold in 1996 were used in rapes, robberies, assaults and murders by 2000.
The defendants knew they were feeding a pool of illegal handguns and "purposely turned their head away from the problem," NAACP attorney Elisa Barnes told the jury. "They said, `It's not our worry.'"
Defense experts claimed the analysis was flawed. They said their own studies found that most guns used by criminals come from a secondary market of used or stolen guns.
Since 1998, more than two dozen cities, counties and states have sued gun makers, many claiming the manufacturers allowed weapons to reach criminals because of irresponsible marketing. Many suits have been dismissed or dropped, but Congress is considering legislation backed by the White House and the NRA to protect gun makers and sellers from lawsuits arising from the criminal or unlawful use of their products."
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:cool:
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makes sense
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Originally posted by midnight Target
makes sense
Closet Republican. :cool:
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I will always be a liberal...
but those dam democrats are just acting soooooooooooo stupid lately. I may need to call LaRouche.
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Originally posted by midnight Target
I will always be a liberal...
but those dam democrats are just acting soooooooooooo stupid lately. I may need to call LaRouche.
Lately?
Come on Tahgut, how bout since 1992?
Come on, you can be a liberal Republican like me!
:D
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waddya mean? Clinton was the ONLY guy I ever voted for that won.
1976 - Jerry Brown - Primary, Gerald Ford - National (He was the underdog, and Carter seemed like a bumpkin. Plus I went to College with Steve Ford)
1980 - Anderson
1984 - Loser
1988 - Loser
1992 and 1996 - Winner!!
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Hey! I voted for Anderson in 1980! Then I grew up, formed a brain, and started voting the issues, not the party. ;)
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funny Rip,
Which party exactly do you think Anderson represented?
:rolleyes:
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Originally posted by midnight Target
funny Rip,
Which party exactly do you think Anderson represented?
:rolleyes:
He was an independant if memory serves me correct, and was for legalizing pot. I used to smoke alot of pot in 1980 ;)
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Hey! I voted for Anderson in 1980! Then I grew up, formed a brain, and started voting the issues, not the party.
Which leads me to wonder why you made a point about voting the issues and not the party after 1980. The Anderson vote certainly wasn't for a party, (political party anyway).
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Originally posted by midnight Target
waddya mean? Clinton was the ONLY guy I ever voted for that won.
1976 - Jerry Brown - Primary, Gerald Ford - National (He was the underdog, and Carter seemed like a bumpkin. Plus I went to College with Steve Ford)
1980 - Anderson
1984 - Loser
1988 - Loser
1992 and 1996 - Winner!!
My voting record:
1972 - Lost - Couldn't bring my self to vote Nixon, although I regreted in later in life, like the next day when my then 5'8" blonde goddess girlfriend informed me she had voted for Nixon.
so, I've been voting with the blondes ever since!
1976 - Lost
1980 - Won
1984 - Won
1988 - Won
1992 - Lost
1996 - Lost
2000 - Won
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Yeah, I just added that at the end because I truly do vote the issues. Thus, my 'Centrist" designation. I've voted for Dems in this state, not very many, but I have..(Shhh, don't tell my wife, she's as conservative as they get...except in bed! ;) )
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Originally posted by Ripsnort
Yeah, I just added that at the end because I truly do vote the issues. Thus, my 'Centrist" designation. I've voted for Dems in this state, not very many, but I have..(Shhh, don't tell my wife, she's as conservative as they get...except in bed! ;) )
:eek:
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Originally posted by Ripsnort
Yeah, I just added that at the end because I truly do vote the issues. Thus, my 'Centrist" designation. I've voted for Dems in this state, not very many, but I have..(Shhh, don't tell my wife, she's as conservative as they get...except in bed! ;) )
Tell me bout it :D
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Originally posted by Airhead
Tell me bout it :D
So YOU were the milkman! I knew it! Hey, you're 4 years behind in child payments! Here's your kid!
(http://home.earthlink.net/~ripsnort/Spokane/Spokane_ReillyBarn.jpg)
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Too cute to be mine Rip. However, one of those funny looking goats reminds me of my Uncle Bill.
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Rip owns mutant sheep.
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them colored people are allways trying to get someone elses money aint they?
lazs
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Originally posted by lazs2
them colored people are allways trying to get someone elses money aint they?
lazs
Peeee youuuuu!
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Originally posted by Hooligan
Rip owns mutant sheep.
He's opening up a dating service for the FDBs.
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People with guns kill people without.
Sort of like the "Those who turn their swords into plowshares plow for those who didn't" kinda deal.
Me? Gimme a long range tazer with an oversized battery pack. I love the smell of zinged dweeb in the morning. :D