http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-03-2002/0001851508&EDATE= Judge Dismisses Municipal Lawsuit Against Firearms Manufacturers; Industry Offers Wilmington, Delaware Cooperation in Safety, Crime Reduction Programs NEWTOWN, Conn., Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The judge hearing Wilmington, Delaware's lawsuit against the firearm industry today granted the industry's request for a summary judgment. In dismissing the suit, Judge Fred S. Silverman wrote in his decision, "Handgun violence is a scourge. But as much as the court would support efforts to reduce the problem, the court will not twist a jury trial involving municipal costs into a wildly expensive referendum on handgun control. The Mayor and the City must find another means to their ends." Mayor James M. Baker and the city argued that Wilmington incurred law enforcement and other costs associated with the criminal misuse of firearms and sought to recover those expenses from handgun manufacturers. The court's rejection of a "municipal costs recovery rule" described the suit as part of a nationwide effort to force change on firearms makers or force them out of business. "This is the latest victory supporting the long-held principle that responsible and law abiding manufacturers of highly regulated, non-defective products can not be held accountable when criminals misuse their legally sold products," noted Lawrence G. Keane, vice president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. (NSSF), the firearms industry's major trade association and a defendant in the case. NSSF President Doug Painter noted, "Judge Silverman cited the City of Boston's lawsuit against the industry in his decision and pointed out that Boston's lawsuit was dropped at the city's request. Boston acknowledged firearms industry members 'are genuinely concerned with and are committed to, the safe, legal and responsible sale and use of their products.' Just as the industry offered there to work with those seeking to further reduce firearms accidents and decrease criminal violence committed with firearms, our industry stands ready to work with Wilmington." "The path forward in Wilmington and in other municipalities which have embraced this obviously faulty strategy can be best achieved through cooperation in continued safety programs and communication, rather than pursuing a discredited theory for litigation that wastes the tax payer's money," Keane added. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has for more than 40 years been the trade association for the makers and sellers of firearms, ammunition and associated products, and a foremost promoter of the safe and responsible enjoyment of such products as well as the safe storage of firearms and ammunition. Learn more about NSSF and firearm safety at http://www.nssf.org .