CHICAGO — The American Bar Association on Tuesday passed a resolution opposing state and federal legislation that would protect the firearms industry from civil lawsuits. The resolution, introduced by the Los Angeles County Bar Association, was in response to legislation pending in Congress that would strip courts of jurisdiction to hear civil claims against gunmakers. The legislation is similar to bills enacted in 19 states in the last two years creating a special... (GunPolicy.org)

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department plans to fight an attempt by a gun control group to introduce a document critical of Attorney General John Ashcroft's views on the Second Amendment into a court case in Texas. The Violence Policy Center produced the document, "Shot Full of Holes," in response to a letter Ashcroft sent in May to the National Rifle Association, which has drawn heavy fire from gun control advocates. In his letter to the NRA, Ashcroft said he believes... (GunPolicy.org)

TRENTON — New Jersey's leading gun-control advocates today denounced Bret D. Schundler, the Republican candidate for governor, for "turning the truth on its head" by asserting that his Democratic opponent, James E. McGreevey, had once supported the right to carry concealed assault weapons. In a news release last Wednesday, Mr. Schundler's campaign manager used a 26-word sentence fragment from a 1990 law to suggest that Mr. McGreevey had voted to allow individuals to... (GunPolicy.org)

TRENTON — When the state's leading gun-control advocates look at Republican gubernatorial nominee Bret Schundler, they see a wolf pretending to be a sheep. Debra Wachspress, president of the state's Million Mom group, was among those who yesterday charged Schundler with "deliberately distorting" the record of his Democratic rival, Woodbridge Mayor Jim McGreevey's, in an effort to "camouflage" his stance on gun issues. "Everything we've seen leads us to believe that... (GunPolicy.org)

The gun industry won a major victory yesterday when the California Supreme Court ruled that the manufacturer of the assault weapons used in the 101 California massacre cannot be held legally responsible for the 1993 shooting in San Francisco's Financial District. In a case that has drawn national attention, the justices voted 5 to 1 to dismiss a lawsuit brought by eight victims or their families accusing a Miami gunmaker of designing a weapon intended solely for mass... (GunPolicy.org)

SAN FRANCISCO — In 1993, Gian Luigi Ferri entered a San Francisco skyscraper and opened fire in a law office with two TEC-DC9s and a revolver, killing eight people and wounding six before killing himself. Survivors claimed Navegar Inc., the maker of the gun used in the shooting, was liable for damages because it marketed the TEC-DC9 to appeal to criminals, and that Navegar should have foreseen it would be used in a massacre. Their case was originally thrown out by a... (GunPolicy.org)

SAN FRANCISCO — Gun makers cannot be held responsible when their products are used to commit crimes, the California Supreme Court decided Monday. Ruling in the case of a 1993 shooting rampage at a San Francisco office tower, the court overturned an appellate decision that would have opened the way for victims of gun violence to sue manufacturers for the harm their products caused. The 5-1 decision was a stinging defeat for gun-control advocates, who are increasingly... (GunPolicy.org)

LONDON — Under broiling sunshine, colorfully clad mothers push baby carriages down Brixton Street, stopping to chat with neighbors, the greengrocer and fellow shoppers strolling the main drag of this borough south of the River Thames. You'd never know people consider it the murder capital of Britain. Last year, 12 people were killed in Lambeth, a gritty section of the city with a growing reputation for gang warfare and drug dealing. But what alarms police and... (GunPolicy.org)

LOS ANGELES — The California Supreme Court ruled today that the victims of a mentally disturbed man who went on a murderous shooting rampage in a San Francisco skyscraper eight years ago cannot hold the manufacturer of the guns liable. Dennis Henigan, the lawyer for the families of the victims, had argued that the company that manufactured the military-style semiautomatic weapons, Navegar Inc., had advertised the guns as being useful for aggressive purposes. Some... (GunPolicy.org)

In 1993, Gian Luigi Ferri burst into a law office at 101 California St. in San Francisco and started firing assault weapons. His rampage killed eight people and wounded six more, the worst mass shooting in the city's history. Office workers who survived and families of the dead sued Navegar Inc., the Florida company that manufactured two of the weapons, for negligence. They said Navegar designed and advertised the gun to appeal to criminals. The victims deserve to have... (GunPolicy.org)

CHAPEL HILL — Last month, an international gathering in New York called "Guns Know No Borders" promoted global action against gun violence and gun trafficking. The event took place during the second week of the United Nations' first Conference on Illegal Small Arms. The U.N. estimates that small arms are used in more than 90 percent of the world's conflicts. The United States is a major international supplier of firearms, and negligent U.S. policy is putting at risk... (GunPolicy.org)

BENIN CITY — The National Sub-committee on the Proliferation and Illicit Trafficking in small arms and light weapons has alerted the public of the danger to the presence of weapons and firearms in the hands of wrong people pose to national security . Leader of the committee, Major-General Yellow Duke (rtd) said the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons has increased steadily, prompting the committee to step up its activities which included gathering... (GunPolicy.org)

After meeting with two top Cincinnati police officials Monday, federal authorities announced plans to help the new Violent Crimes Task Force step up efforts to nab gun-toting offenders and keep them off the streets longer. At least three agents and one from Washington, D.C., with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, will work closely with the task force and train officers to recognize and track guns in the coming weeks, said Chris Tardio, special agent in... (GunPolicy.org)