Supreme Court Rule out in a round voice Thursday supports US weapons producers and blocks the obligation lawsuit filed by the Mexican government, which is trying to hold the company’s accountability for their weapons trade in the south of the border to trigger violence by cartels.
The government argued in a historic lawsuit that American firearms producers, including Smith & Wesson, glock, beretta and colt, “help and conspire” the flow of forbidden weapons across the border.
Mexico sought compensation of $ 10 billion, the safety mechanism mandated by the court and restrictions on sales for US weapons.
Weapons were seen for sale at the EJB weapons shop in Capitol Heights, Maryland, March 14, 2023.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP Via Getty Images
Hakimi Elena Kagan said that federal law gave a broad immunity to the US weapons company and was undoubtedly protecting them from Mexican claims.
“Mexico accuses that the companies help and conspire with stomach weapons that violate the law to the Mexican drug cartel. The question raised is whether Mexican complaints make sense to ask for the behavior. We conclude not,” Kagan wrote.
US Chief Justice Elena Kagan pose for an official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, 7 October 2022.
Olivier Douulery/AFP Via Getty Images
Protection of the Law of Law in the Law of Weapons in 2005 prohibits lawsuits against any weapons producers of the illegal actions of someone who uses one of the manufacturer’s weapons. But that makes an exception for claims involving alleged violations of weapons company rules governing the sale and marketing of firearms.
Mexico argues that the lawsuit fell under the exception and sought compensation of $ 10 billion and the safety mechanism mandated by the court and restrictions on sales for US weapons.
“Mexico hasn’t met the bar,” Kagan wrote to the court. “His complaints did not make sense to accuse the type of ‘conscious … and the guilty participation in the mistakes of others’ was needed to commit accusations that helped and demanded.”
“When a company only knows that some bad actors take advantage of their products for criminal purposes, it does not help and be ignored. And that even if the company can adopt steps to reduce the crime of its users,” Kagan concluded.
The decision was the first time the High Court considered the immunity of the weapons made by the congress to protect the industry.
Weapons were seen for sale at the EJB weapons shop in Capitol Heights, Maryland, March 14, 2023.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP Via Getty Images
Mexico only has one weapons shop, but is flooded with millions of American -made weapons, which are most distributed to the country by straw buyers in the US with one estimate, at least 200,000 weapons flow south of the border every year.
“Today’s decision will end the Mexico suit against the weapons industry, but it does not affect our ability and decide to request legal accountability,” said David Pucino, Director of Law and Deputy Head of Advisors at the Giffords Legal Center. “All who survived, in the United States, in Mexico, and anywhere, deserve their day in court, and we will continue to support them in their struggle for justice.”