By Ed Somers

A state-wide effort to coordinate local-government lawsuits against the gun industry resulted in a major filing in California on May 25.

The multi-city/county suits were coordinated by Los Angeles City Attorney Jim Hahn and San Francisco City Attorney Louise Renne.

Joining in the Los Angeles suit were the cities of Compton and West Hollywood. Joining in the San Francisco suit were the cities of Sacramento and Berkeley, as well as San Mateo and Alameda counties. In addition, the city of Oakland joined the San Francisco suit the day after it was originally announced.

The suits accuse handgun makers, distributors and trade associations of illegally ignoring firearm safety technology and facilitating an underground market which puts handguns in the hands of criminals, children and other persons prohibited by law from possessing them.

The suits also accuse the defendant companies of creating a public nuisance and engaging in illegal and unfair business practices under California state law.

The suits were filed in state superior court and seek civil fines and permanent injunctions to force the defendant companies and associations to end their allegedly illegal practices.

New Orleans, Chicago, Bridgeport, Miami-Dade County, Atlanta, Cleveland, St. Louis, Detroit/Wayne County, and Cincinnati had previously filed suit against the gun industry, with cities like Newark (NJ), Toledo and Boston having formally announced their intention to file suit.