Supreme Court rules against Mexico in its lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers
The Supreme Court sided with the firearms industry in ruling that Mexico's novel lawsuit didn't plausibly allege that gun companies had aided and abetted unlawful sales routing guns to Mexican drug cartels.
Mexico had sued seven U.S. firearm manufacturers and a distributor for allegedly aiding and abetting illegal sales, arguing that the companies intentionally facilitated unlawful trafficking of their firearms across the southern border, supplying a demand by Mexican drug cartels that seek out American-made military-style weapons.
But the companies argued that Mexico's legal theory was too far-fetched. 'Indeed, if Mexico is right, then every law enforcement organization in America has missed the largest criminal conspiracy in history operating right under their nose, and Budweiser is liable for every accident caused by underage drinkers since it knows that teenagers will buy beer, drive drunk, and crash,' argued Noel Francisco, a former solicitor general under Donald Trump, to the justices on behalf of the industry in March.
'The First Circuit gravely erred in embracing that implausible theory and should be reversed,' Francisco added, referring to the federal appeals court that greenlit Mexico's lawsuit to move forward last year. The appellate panel noted that the 'increase in gun violence in Mexico correlates with the increase of gun production in the United States, beginning with the end of the United States' assault-weapon ban in 2004.'
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
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