Supreme Court Blocks Mexico’s Lawsuit Alleging U.S. Gunmakers Fueled Cartel Violence | rssama.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court connected Thursday blocked a $10 cardinal suit Mexico revenge against apical firearm manufacturers successful nan U.S. alleging nan companies’ business practices person fueled tremendous cartel violence and bloodshed.

The unanimous ruling tossed retired nan lawsuit nether U.S. laws that mostly shield gunmakers from liability erstwhile their firearms are utilized successful crime.

Big-name manufacturers for illustration Smith & Wesson had appealed to nan justices aft a little tribunal fto nan suit spell guardant nether an objection for situations successful which nan companies themselves are accused of violating nan law.

But nan justices recovered that Mexico hadn’t made a plausible statement that nan companies had knowingly allowed guns to beryllium trafficked into nan country. “It does not pinpoint, arsenic astir aiding-and-abetting claims do, immoderate circumstantial criminal transactions that nan defendants (allegedly) assisted,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote successful nan court’s opinion.

Mexico had asked nan justices to fto nan lawsuit play out, saying it was still successful its early stages.

Asked astir nan lawsuit during her regular news briefing, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pointed to different suit nan state revenge successful 2022 against 5 weapon shops and distributors successful Arizona. “There are 2 trials,” she said. “We’re going to spot what nan consequence is and we’ll fto you know.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum attends her greeting property convention astatine nan National Palace successful Mexico City, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

via Associated Press

The lawsuit nan Supreme Court tossed Thursday began successful 2021, erstwhile nan Mexican authorities revenge a blockbuster suit against immoderate of nan biggest weapon companies, including Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Colt and Glock.

The Mexican authorities says astatine slightest 70% of those weapons travel from nan United States. The suit claims that companies knew weapons were being sold to traffickers who smuggled them into Mexico and decided to rate successful connected that market.

The companies cull Mexico’s allegations, arguing nan country’s suit comes obscurity adjacent to showing they’re responsible for a comparatively fewer group utilizing their products to perpetrate violence.

A national judge tossed retired nan suit nether a 2005 rule that protects weapon companies from astir civilian lawsuits, but an appeals tribunal revived it. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals successful Boston recovered it fell nether an objection to nan shield rule for situations successful which firearm companies are accused of knowingly breaking laws successful their business practices.

Families of victims of nan 2012 wide shooting astatine Sandy Hook Elementary School successful Newtown, Connecticut, for example, based on it applied to their suit because nan gunmaker had violated authorities rule successful nan trading of nan AR-15 firearm utilized successful nan shooting, successful which 20 first graders and six educators were killed.

The families yet secured a landmark $73 cardinal colony pinch Remington, nan shaper of nan rifle.

The Supreme Court’s ruling doesn’t look to impact akin cases, said David Pucino, ineligible head astatine nan Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. “All survivors, successful nan United States, successful Mexico, and anyplace else, merit their time successful court, and we will proceed to support them successful their conflict for justice,” he said.

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Associated Press writer Fabiola Sánchez successful Mexico City contributed to this story.