Gun-maker to pay $600K in death lawsuit

[_CY_]

A Massachusetts gun-maker has agreed to pay nearly $600,000 to the families of one man who was killed and another man who was wounded in a shooting involving a gun allegedly stolen from the company, a national gun-control group announced Tuesday.

Attorney Hector Pineiro holds a photograph of a Kahr Arms' handgun during a news conference in Worcester, Mass.

Danny Guzman, 26, was slain outside a Worcester nightclub in 1999. Armando Maisonet was wounded in the same shooting.

In a 2002 wrongful death suit against Kahr Arms, of Worcester, Guzman's family alleged that the gun was stolen and later sold by a Kahr employee with a criminal record.

Guzman's relatives said in their lawsuit that Kahr should have done employee background checks and used metal detectors to prevent guns from being smuggled out of its Worcester factory.

The lawsuit alleged that Kahr employee Mark Cronin- who had a drug problem and a criminal record - stole the gun before it had a serial number stamped on it and sold it to Robert Jachimczyk for a gram of cocaine. The man charged in the shooting, Edwin Novas, then bought the gun from Jachimczyk for some heroin, according to the lawsuit. Cronin pleaded guilty to the gun theft and was sentenced to two years in prison. Novas was never caught; he is still listed on the Worcester Police Department's website as being wanted in the unresolved killing.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-07-26-gun-maker-lawsuit_n.htm

 

[tRidiot]

So Kahr arms is having to pay because a bunch of other people committed crimes, i.e., theft, drug use, and murder?

What a country!

 

[sharkbait]

So Kahr arms is having to pay because a bunch of other people committed crimes, i.e., theft, drug use, and murder?

What a country!

No, they got sued for giving a convicted criminal access to firearms.

 

[tRidiot]

So then the responsibility for checking criminal past should be on the employer? Did he list that he was a convicted felon on his job application?

 

[poopgiggle]

So then the responsibility for checking criminal past should be on the employer? Did he list that he was a convicted felon on his job application?

Is it so unbelievable that an ex-con would lie on their job application?

I read the thread title and expected to join with everyone else saying ZOMG FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS but they have a point.

 

[inactive]

So Kahr arms is having to pay because a bunch of other people committed crimes, i.e., theft, drug use, and murder?

What a country!

Nope, they are agreeing to pay. Big difference. They calculated it is cheaper than the costs of a lawsuit and possible judgements against them. None of this is criminal, has little to do with the legality of who they hired and/or any hiring laws. It's all about the wrongful death civil suit that could be filed and decided against them.

They aren't in the business of proving a point. They are in the business of mitigating losses to improve profit. Out of court settlements help accomplish this, for better or worse.

 

[tRidiot]

Nope, they are agreeing to pay. Big difference. They calculated it is cheaper than the costs of a lawsuit and possible judgements against them.

They aren't in the business of proving a point. They are in the business of mitigating losses to improve profit. Out of court settlements help accomplish this, for better or worse.

Ok, I'll agree with that. Their choice, but still sucks, as it's the political climate that forced their hand in this. And the cost of their firearms will go up to us as consumers consequently.

 

[inactive]

Ok, I'll agree with that. Their choice, but still sucks, as it's the political climate that forced their hand in this. And the cost of their firearms will go up to us as consumers consequently.

+1 to this, sadly.

 

[ignerntbend]

You have to wonder why they settled out of court, but I'm guessing that the kooks who run the Unification Church want as little publicity as possible.

 

[andrsnsm]

Kahr should have extensive background checks performed on all employees with access to firearms. I would bet they will be doing that in the future as well as implementing better security measures to prevent theft. They are getting of pretty cheap.