Gun Makers: You are be being sued - Page 5

Mindhunt,

I can't imagine why you are basing your POV over a statement by an unknown, Joshua Flashgun. In any case, there is just no way to pin AL's problems on bullying as such, in the same manner as it was a pivotal cause like the Columbine shooters or Elliot Rodgers. Rather, Nancy Lanza worked overtime to get Adam Lanza's difficulties with daily life, accommodated. And clearly, that strategy was never appreciated by her son. I know bullying is a problem and students have committed suicide because of relentless bullying, but if you read the extensive OFFICIAL document, the case for bullying as being Adam Lanza's driving obession with murder and death and other macabre natures, just is not there.

Multiple teachers and students attested, during interviews by the State Police, that they had been unaware of bullying or teasing incidents that might have negatively affected AL socially and emotionally. In fact, most who had known him during his school years described him as quiet, bright, reluctant to participate, and somewhat odd in that he carried a briefcase rather than a backpack and wore clothes that were too big. One former student referenced his tendency to pull his sleeves down over his hands if he was required to touch objects in the course of a class.

Whether bullying was an actual part of the picture of social isolation is unclear, but a history of bullying incidents is not supported by available documents. Still, most bullying occurs out of sight of staff and may be ignored or tolerated by the peer group. Furthermore, children with autism are known for not reporting even severe bullying because of poor self-advocacy and self-observation skills. Here, some youth later stated that they did not remember bullying but thought it would not be surprising if bullying had occurred. Accordingly, while the authors cannot completely confirm that bullying did not occur, there is no evidence that it did. 

I think we are talking about the same incident that I used and is described as a "special school" from the news stories and Official documents, and that which you describe as "being committed" and made him "snap." 

The only problem is, it is surmised that his rampage was precipitated by his fear of his living situation being changed, from which he was a total recluse. He had actually stopped by choice, communicating personally with his mother for months. Only through emails. So, maybe we are talking semantics and "special school" could have been her seeking to have him committed. It just was not precipitated or motivated by bullying and especially not at that period of time in his life.

I am very clear about this, and do not confuse your empathy with bullying as a problem and the acts of Nancy Lanza's facts and acts of mothering. No worries, here.

No more delays, so sayeth the judge! All the delay requests by gun makers have been denied.

BRIDGEPORT - The judge who allowed a wrongful death lawsuit by families of Sandy Hook massacre victims to proceed against the nation’s oldest gunmaker said Thursday that she has no intention of delaying the trial.

Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis denied a request by Bushmaster Firearms to delay the exchange of evidence with lawyers representing families who lost loved ones in the 2012 massacre of 26 first-graders and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

“Given the April 2, 2018 trial date, even a temporary stay of discovery would translate into a delay of the trial, which the court is unwilling to consider, given the fact that the case was filed in 2015,” Bellis wrote on Thursday.

The case has drawn national attention not only because it has been a subject of debate between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Lawsuits brought against the gun industry when firearms are misused rarely proceed to trial, because a 2005 law shield the firearms industry from most liability claims.

The families argue that the maker of the military-style rifle used in the Sandy Hook massacre negligently entrusted the weapon to the civilian market by ignoring the risks that it could be misused.

A lawyer representing the families said Wednesday’s ruling was another in a series of incremental victories for gun violence victims.

“For almost a year and a half the families have waited patiently ... and watched as the defendants tried every tactic to avoid having to disclose a single document or answer a single question under oath,” said attorney Josh Koskoff in a prepared statement. “Now that wait is officially over.”