Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence in the United States is a not-for-profit organization headed by James Brady, former U.S. White House Press Secretary to President Ronald W. Reagan. Brady was seriously wounded and became permanently disabled during an attempted assassination of the President in March 1981. Brady and his wife Sarah became leading advocates of gun control, education, and other actions to reduce the amount of gun violence in the United States. The Legal Action Project is part of the Brady Center. It handles civil suits and legal actions on behalf of victims and their families. Notable among its many activities, in 2004, the Legal Action Project obtained a $2.5 million settlement from Bull's Eye Shooter Supply in Tacoma, Washington and Bushmaster Firearms, Inc of Windham, Maine for survivors and families of some of the victims killed during the Beltway sniper attacks in October 2002. While staying at an area homeless shelter, convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad trained on the gun store's firing range. His accomplice, convicted sniper Lee Boyd Malvo told investigators that he shoplifted the 35-inch-long carbine from the supposedly secure store. [1] After losing several decisions as the case made its way through the courts, Bull's Eye and Bushmaster contributed to an out-of-court US$2.5 million settlement. According to the Legal Center, "Bushmaster will also educate its dealers on safer business practices. The settlement is the first time a gun manufacturer has ever paid damages for negligence leading to criminal violence, and the largest settlement by a gun dealer ever."
After the settlement was announced, WTOP radio in Washington, DC reported that Sonia Wills, mother of sniper victim Conrad Johnson, said her family took part in the lawsuit more to send a message than to collect money from Bushmaster Firearms and Bull's Eye Shooter Supply. "I think a message was delivered that you should be responsible and accountable for the actions of irresponsible people when you make these guns and put them in their hands," she said. [1]
External links Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
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