US appeals court revives $10bn lawsuit by Mexico against American gunmakers
GuardianJan 28
SCOTUS to Weigh Mexico's Billion-Dollar Lawsuit Against US Gunmakers
Above: Facade of the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, DC, on Oct. 3, 2024. Image copyright: Valerie Plesch/Contributor/picture alliance via Getty Images
The Facts
The US Supreme Court agreed on Friday to hear Smith & Wesson Brands et. al. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, a bid to end a billion-dollar lawsuit from the Mexican government against US firearm manufacturers.
This comes as companies and more than two dozen Republican state attorneys general asked the Supreme Court earlier this year to intervene in the case to prevent years of costly litigation for the gun industry.
The Spin
Left narrative
This lawsuit is key in holding the US gun industry accountable for its contribution to violence at home and abroad and stopping the flood of trafficked guns into cartels. It's utterly unfair to grant a legal shield to companies that are at the core of the gun violence problem.
Right narrative
The lawsuit is misplaced and baseless. Gun manufacturers in the US do produce a lawful product — and there's no similar issue in its border with Canada. Mexico should focus on bringing drug cartels to justice in its courtrooms instead of scapegoating the US gun industry for its own failed enforcement policies.