“A St. Louis County judge has dismissed a lawsuit the city of St. Louis brought against the gun industry seeking reimbursement for costs associated with gun-related injuries. St. Louis County Judge Emmett O’Brien said he found no basis for the claim. O’Brien dismissed the lawsuit against gun manufacturers on Oct. 15. Then on Friday, he dismissed it against the remaining defendants: gun distributors and trade organizations. In a five-page opinion, O’Brien wrote that such lawsuits would open ‘a floodgate to additional litigation.’ He also said that ‘issues of both logic and fairness’ favored dismissing the case.” (“Judge dismisses lawsuit against gun industry”, AP/Southeast Missourian (Cape Girardeau), Oct. 29). And this from last month: “The Missouri Legislature overrode on Friday Gov. Bob Holden’s veto of a bill that bars cities, counties and other political subdivisions from suing gun dealers and manufacturers for the social costs of their products. … The legislation was prompted in part by St. Louis’ lawsuit against gun manufacturers, which [state Rep. Larry] Crawford said aimed to bankrupt gun and ammunition companies.” (Bill Bell Jr., “Gun makers get shield from suits as 3rd veto is rejected”, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sept. 12).

Filed under: guns, Missouri