The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Thursday to dismiss Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit against major American gun manufacturers, contending that the companies’ business practices have contributed to the escalation of cartel violence and bloodshed in Mexico.
In the ruling, the justices cited U.S. laws that provide significant protection for gunmakers from liability when their firearms are used in criminal activities. The decision overturned a lower court’s ruling that permitted the lawsuit to proceed, based on an exception that applies when companies are accused of violating the law themselves.
The big picture: Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the court, stated that Mexico failed to provide sufficient evidence to suggest that the gun manufacturers knowingly facilitated the trafficking of firearms into Mexico.
- The opinion highlighted the absence of specific criminal transactions that the defendants allegedly aided in.
Driving the news: Mexico had urged the justices to allow the case to progress further, noting that it was still in its early stages. The lawsuit was initiated in 2021, with the Mexican government targeting leading firearm companies such as Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Colt and Glock.
- Despite Mexico’s stringent gun control laws and limited legal avenues for gun purchase in the country, a significant number of firearms are smuggled in annually by powerful drug cartels. The Mexican government asserts that approximately 70% of these weapons originate from the United States. The lawsuit alleges that gun manufacturers were aware of the trafficking activities and chose to exploit the market.
Flashback: Previously, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit under a 2005 law that provides immunity to gun companies from most civil lawsuits.
- However, an appeals court revived the case, invoking an exception to the immunity law applicable when firearm companies are accused of knowingly breaching laws in their business operations.
