The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Mexico can’t sue American gun manufacturers for arms trafficking and cartel violence in Mexico.
The court pointed to the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which protects gun manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers from most civil lawsuits.
Mexico sued seven American gun manufacturers, included Tennessee-based Smith & Wesson, alleging they knowingly violated state or federal laws in the sales of firearms. The suit sought $10 billion in damages.
The Mexican government argued American manufacturers “aided and abetted” the trafficking of guns into the country because the manufacturers did not carefully scrutinize those buyers to which they sold.
“The complaint does not pinpoint – as many aiding and abetting cases do – that the defendants (allegedly) assisted,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court.
“In asserting that the manufacturers intentionally supply guns to bad-apple dealers, Mexico never confronts that the manufacturers do not directly supply any dealers, bad-apple or otherwise,” Kagan wrote.
