American weapons manufacturers They plan to ask the Supreme Court to welcome your attempt to evade a demand of the government of Mexico for 10 billion dollars, who is looking for hold them responsible of supposedly facilitate arms trafficking to the cartels of drugs across the border.
The projected appeal was revealed Friday in a virtual court hearing by a lawyer for Smith & Wesson Brandsafter last month the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuitbased in Boston, overturned a judge’s decision dismissing the case.
Mexico alleges in the lawsuit, filed in 2021, that companies undermined their strict laws on weapons by designing, marketing and distributing military-style assault weapons in ways that They knew they would support the drug cartelswhich facilitated murders, extortions and kidnappings in the country.
The Mexican government says that More than 500 thousand weapons are trafficked annually from the US to Mexicoof which more than 68 percent are manufactured by the eight companies included in the case, which also include Sturm, Ruger & Co., Beretta USA, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Colt’s Manufacturing Co and Glock Inc.
Mexico maintained that smuggling has contributed to high rates of deaths related to gun ownershipto a decrease in the investment and the economic activityand the need for spend more on public safety. The companies deny the accusations.
Andrew Lellinga lawyer for Smith & Wesson, said at Friday’s hearing that there was a “reasonably good chance” that the Supreme Court would agree to hear his appeal and asked District Judge Dennis Saylor to put the case on hold until the judges decide on the petition.
Lelling added that the appeal would focus on whether Mexico’s claims are vetoed by a federal arms trade law known as PLCAAwhich provides manufacturers with extensive protection against lawsuits for improper use of their products.
“This case involves a statute specifically designed to allow this particular group of defendants avoid the costs of litigation if the case in question falls within the ambit of the statute“, he maintained. “That same issue is still the one under discussion.”
The First Circuit court ruled on January 22 that Although federal law may apply to claims from other countriesthe case of Mexico “plausibly alleges a type of claim that is legally exempt from the general prohibition of the PLCAA“.
Saylor said Friday that he had “some reservations” about completely staying the case pending an appeal to the Supreme Court. However, she did not make any decision and said that would decide on the matter on March 12.