FEATURE STORIES

Assault Weapons Ban Hasn't Expired, But Sharks Are Circling For Blood
August 12, 2004

Illinois - The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence today sent a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) asking them to enforce the Assault Weapons Ban against ArmaLite, Inc., who is manufacturing assault weapons for customers who pre-order them, by stocking parts of the weapons to be ready for immediate shipment if the ban expires. In the past, ATF has taken the position that grouping assault weapon parts together for later assembly is a violation of the ban.

• Click here to read full press release.

Pennsylvania Gun Dealer Settles Case Involving Sales To Gun Trafficker
August 20, 2004

Philadelphia, PA - A Pennsylvania gun dealer has settled a pioneering lawsuit brought by a woman whose seven-year-old son was unintentionally killed near his Philadelphia home with a gun sold by the dealer. The settlement will have nationwide implications for gun dealers who supply traffickers with guns - transactions which occur everyday in gun shops around the country.

The suit, brought by Tennille Jefferson against Williamsport gun dealer Sauers Trading, charged Sauers with supplying ten guns to gun trafficker Perry Bruce. Although Sauers sold the guns to Bruce legally, Bruce purchased the handguns repeatedly, with thousands of dollars in cash, even while telling Sauers he was unemployed and on welfare. The guns were trafficked to Philadelphia, where one was found under a parked car by a group of children and used to unintentionally shoot and kill Nafis Jefferson on April 19, 1999.

On August 20, 2004, the court approved a settlement between Sauers and Jefferson and dismissed Sauers from the case.

• Click here to read an article on the case.
• Click here to read the case summary.