NEW YORK - The voice on the phone is steady and clear. “It is unnatural to kill anything,” the man says. “But once you've done it the first time, it becomes easier each time.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Gun Industry Immunity
May 4, 2021, 9:01 am
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This fact sheet will be periodically updated to account for new policy developments. It was last updated on May 4, 2021. Click
What is the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act?
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) was enacted in 2005 following extensive lobbying by the gun industry to shield gun manufacturers and dealers from civil litigation.
1 The effort to enact this law was a reaction to numerous lawsuits in the early 1990s filed on behalf of more than 40 cities; these lawsuits advanced a novel legal argument alleging that gun manufacturers created a public nuisance through sales practices that enabled firearms to be sold illegally in secondary markets and to be illegally trafficked, after which they ended up being used to commit violent crimes.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, seated center, signs a bill abolishing the death penalty, surrounded by legislators and activists at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Va., on March 24, 2021.Photo: Steve Helber/APVirginia Gov. Ralph Northam, seated center, signs a bill abolishing the death penalty, surrounded by legislators and activists at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Va., on March 24, 2021.Photo: Steve Helber/AP
The Long Shadow of Virginiaâs Death Penalty
Virginia made history when it abolished capital punishment. But for those who were proximate to the stateâs 113 executions, closure remains complicated.
April 11 2021, 12:20Â p.m.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, seated center, signs a bill abolishing the death penalty, surrounded by legislators and activists at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Va., on March 24, 2021.Photo: Steve Helber/APVirginia Gov. Ralph Northam, seated center, signs a bill abolishing the death penalty, surrounded by
On This Day: Lee Boyd Malvo sentenced to life for D.C. sniper shootings
On March 10, 2004, Lee Boyd Malvo, 19, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in 10 Washington-area sniper killings in 2002.
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People visit a memorial dedicated to the victims of the 2002 D.C. sniper shootings at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md., on November 10, 2009. On March 10, 2004, Lee Boyd Malvo, 19, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in 10 Washington-area sniper killings in 2002. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
On March 10, 1969, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Ray died in prison in 1998. UPI File Photo | License Photo