Aurora victim's stepfather blasts Sanders over gun views

[El Supremo]

Lonnie Phillips is filing for bankruptcy because he owes $203,000 to the company that sold his stepdaughter’s killer 4,000 rounds of ammunition over the Internet.

A federal judge threw out his lawsuit against Lucky Gunner, and now the Phillips family must pay its legal fees under Colorado law.

As the Democratic primary race turns to New York, where the gun issue looms large, Clinton will seize upon their story and those like it. The Phillips’ daughter, Jessica Ghawi, died in the 2012 mass shooting at a movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colo.

(snip)

“I don’t think he had any idea of the repercussions this law would cause,” Phillips said of Sanders. “I would like Bernie Sanders to at least apologize to us for the heartache this has caused.”

http://www.9news.com/news/nation-now/aurora-victims-stepfather-blasts-sanders-over-gun-views/123980276

[Jitter65]

1. But Hillary made him do it.

[CentralCoaster]

19. Bad legal advice. Loser pays defense costs, did he not know this?

And now blames who? Sanders? For going in for a quick bunch of money and losing and having to pay the winners?

That's just bad judgement, bad legal counsel.

[jmg257]

2. Very bad legal advice from the Brady Group. Poor guy knew better but went ahead anyway

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonnie-and-sandy-phillips/lucky-gunner-lawsuit_b_8197804.html
...
Attorneys at Arnold and Porter and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence brought the lawsuit for us, pro bono. We knew the risks of bringing the case. We knew that Colorado and Congress have given special protection of the gun industry, and we knew that under Colorado law we could even be ordered to pay attorneys’ fees because of those special protections.

But we thought it was important to take a stand, to fight to prevent other families from suffering as we have. We did not seek any money in our case. We just wanted injunctive relief — to have these companies act reasonably when they sold dangerous materiel, like 100-round ammunition magazines, ammunition, body armor, and tear gas.
...
The judge dismissed our case because, he said, these online sellers had special immunity from the general duty to use reasonable care under the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and a Colorado immunity law. If you couple the PLCAA law with Colorado’s law HB 000-208, (which says in essence: If you bring a civil case against a gun or ammunition seller and the case is dismissed then the plaintiff must pay all the defendant’s costs)



I do not understand why the Brady Center is not footing the bill...they really fucked over those poor people.

[Press Virginia]

3. Bernie's view is oddly similar to the judge who tossed the lawsuit

maybe he should take a hint

[beam me up scottie]

4. Colorado law is responsible for his owing the money.

Hillary should stop using these people as props.

[mythology]

6. And Sanders should listen to them

It's immoral as a law to protect gun manufacturers from taking responsibility for refusing to add safety features.

[Press Virginia]

7. Safety features like what? Name a single safety feature that would have prevented

either the aurora or sandy hook murders

[Duckhunter935]

15. Love the sound of crickets when

They are challenged

[Press Virginia]

20. Well I didn't expect a long list of features that would prevent murder

by the guy who bought the gun but I thought someone who, repeatedly, demanded additional safety features might have something

[beam me up scottie]

8. That's not what the lawsuit was about, it was frivolous and he knew he would lose.

Parroting Hillary's talking points doesn't change the facts.

[sadoldgirl]

11. Love you bmus, but I think this

is mutual abuse from both sides.

[beam me up scottie]

13. I don't have a problem with his vote for the PLCAA.

If you want to get rid of guns pass legislation to ban them, trying to bankrupt manufacturers and dealers who don't violate the law and aren't responsible for the actions of criminals isn't the way to go.

Dragging these families back out into the limelight to stump for a politician is despicable.

[Duckhunter935]

16. So true

SLAAP suits by firearms opponents caused the law to be passed, huge mistake by them.

[sadoldgirl]

21. Sorry, if you mis understood me.

IMHO the victims, who sue, are using HRC as
much for their purpose as she uses them,
in other words: attack Bernie!

[beam me up scottie]

22. Ah, gotcha!

I agree, anyone who has done research on the issue knows it's not Bernie's fault. Instead of going after the actual NRA shills Hillary supporters are attacking Bernie who's always been in their corner when it comes to gun control.

[Politicalboi]

5. They sued the wrong people

It's not Bernie's fault. Sue state legislators for being careless with gun laws.

[Seeinghope]

9. Exactly!

It is all about the law. If the law isn't broken then there isn't a case. The issue on guns is an issue that will take a change in the legal system in order for any lawsuit to be successful. Until that time it is a waste of money to go to court when the laws are stacked against you. Time is better spent on trying to change the laws and taking on Goliath....the NRA and other Gun lobbyists.

[artislife]

14. That is it in a nutshell. nt

[snowy owl]

10. So how many of you have sued car manufacturers when you get into accidents? Or the salesman?

I would expect a lot of you because that is certainly better than suin Mom and Pop hunting shops where hunting is legal. If you want to change things, you should thank Bernie for trying to get assault weapons made illegal. You people are so blinded by Hillary. You shoud be ashamed. Why do you spread incorrect information? If you don't know better, then inform yourselves.

[Duckhunter935]

12. The Brady group

Provided the lawyers. They were former Brady group members. They admitted on Rachel Maddow's show they were told they would lose and went ahead with the lawsuit for political purposes. They lost the suit under Colorado law, not the federal law in fact.

[JonathanRackham]

17. Should they be suing their lawyers for the legal equivalent of malpractice

[Duckhunter935]

18. Agreed

I am sure the Brady group could pay off the losses they caused that family with the frivolous lawsuit.