The Supreme Court dealt a unanimous setback to Mexico’s attempt to hold major U.S. firearm manufacturers responsible for cartel violence, rejecting a $10 billion lawsuit on Thursday. The decision relies on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a 2005 law that largely protects gunmakers from being held liable when their products are used in crimes.
Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the court, explained that Mexico did not provide enough evidence to show that the manufacturers knowingly helped gun dealers make illegal sales to Mexican traffickers. Per CNN, the court found that while Mexico’s complaint mentioned some illegal sales and the manufacturers’ awareness of them, it did not provide enough detail to prove the companies intentionally supported or encouraged these violations.
