(TheLastPatriotNews.com) – In an unprecedented move that threatens the Second Amendment rights of all Americans, a group of shareholders in Smith & Wesson has launched a legal crusade against the gun manufacturer, aiming to reshape the way it produces and markets the controversial AR-15 rifle. What’s interesting here is that Nuns from the community in Nevada are the shareholders suing the manufacturer.
The nuns, although not major shareholders, filed a shareholder derivative action in Nevada state court, accusing the company’s leaders of jeopardizing shareholders and exposing the company to legal risks with their manufacturing and marketing practices. This lawsuit marks a rare instance of such legal action against a firearm manufacturer, drawing attention to the contentious debate surrounding gun control and corporate responsibility.
The lawsuit, filed by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Bon Secours USA, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus & Mary, alleges that Smith & Wesson’s marketing strategies have played a significant role in contributing to heinous gun crimes in the United States.
The gun manufacturer is accused of promoting its firearms through ads resembling first-person shooter video games, designed to be enticing to a predominantly young and male demographic.
Jeffrey Norton, the lead attorney for the nuns, explained the legal tactic, stating, “The theory we are pursuing has been successful in a lot of different situations, but it’s novel in pursuing it with the gun industry.”
The nuns aim to pressure the company into altering its marketing approach to reduce the appeal of the AR-15 to teenagers, young men, and individuals with mental health issues.
“We’re trying to get it out of the hands of troubled people,” Norton emphasized. Additionally, the nuns are advocating for more rigorous safety standards in the production of the semiautomatic rifle, preventing easy modifications by gun owners to mimic a machine gun.
This legal action follows a wave of lawsuits against gun manufacturers, spurred by a $73 million settlement between Remington and families of victims in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
Lawrence Keane, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous, citing the group’s previous unsuccessful attempts through shareholder proposals.
Joe Kavan, an attorney representing gun makers, deemed it an unusual approach that would likely face intense scrutiny in the legal arena.
