The Victims - Allen Berk, Jack Berman, Donald Merrill, Shirley Mooser, Jody Jones Sposato and David Sutcliffe as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle on July 3rd, 1993. This is the first time in the nation that victims of a shooting were allowed to sue gun makers and sellers for harm caused during a criminal shooting. The families of the victims charge that the sellers of the gun acted irresponsibly because they should have known the semi-automatic assualt weapon they sold to Ferri was inappropriate for legal use. A San Francisco Court judge dealt a blow to gun manufacturers last month, ruling that the maker of guns used in the 1993 lawyer's office massacre can be sued for the deaths their products caused. Warren, grandson of the late U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, ruled that gun manufacturer Navegar Inc. may be liable under legal theories of strict liability and negligence.
Strict liability allows damages to be awarded for any harm caused by a dangerous product.
On April 10, a California state trial court ruled that the victims of 1993 San Francisco shooting rampage may seek damages from the manufacturer of the gun which was used in that shooting. While this ruling has only allowed the case to proceed to a fact-finding stage, it could pave the way for victims of similar shootings to sue firearms manufacturers who are in no way responsible for the actions of criminals. But whether the manufacturers of the magazines and ammunition contained in those weapons can be included in the suits will not be decided until this summer. Warren ruled that gun manufacturer Navegar, Inc. may be liable under legal theories of strict liability and negligence. Strict liability allows damages to be awarded for any harm caused by a dangerous product.