Why Sandy Hook parents are suing a gun-maker
On December 14, 2012, [Jackie] Barden's youngest son, Daniel, and [David] Wheeler's son, Ben, were among those killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Wheeler and Barden are part of a potentially precedent-setting lawsuit seeking accountability from gun-maker Remington…The case has the potential to make history if it goes to trial. A 2005 federal law, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, grants gun manufacturers immunity from any lawsuit related to injuries that result from criminal misuse of their product -- in this case the AR-15 rifle…One exception to the immunity legislation is what's called "negligent entrustment."… "Remington took a weapon that was made to the specs of the U.S. military for the purpose of killing enemy soldiers in combat…,"…the attorney for the families said. "They took that same weapon and started peddling it to the civilian market…" Remington declined to comment, but in its request to dismiss the suit, the company argued that the 2005 legislation provides it "complete immunity."