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CNN Live At Daybreak

Gun Trial, Distributor Liable

Aired November 15, 2002 - 06:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on now to Florida, claims of a victory from both sides in a civil lawsuit. A jury finds a gun distributor liable in the fatal shooting of a schoolteacher, because the gun did not have a child-proof lock. But the jury placed most of the blame on others.
Here's CNN's John Zarrella with details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (on camera): It was billed as a potentially landmark case. Pamela Grunow sued the company that distributed the handgun used by Nathaniel Brazill when he killed her schoolteacher-husband, Barry Grunow.

But the six-woman jury found that Valor Corporation, the distributor, was only 5 percent responsible. It laid the other 95 percent of responsibility at the feet of the Palm Beach County school board, and at a family friend of Nathaniel Brazill's, who owned the gun used in the murder.

Now, the jury did award $24 million in damages, but the Grunows may only see $1.2 million of the damages, because that's the 5 percent assessed to the Valor Corporation.

The attorneys representing Valor say this is a tremendous victory for them. There is no landmark case here.

Attorneys representing Grunow say, in fact, this sends a message to gun dealers, gun manufacturers and gun distributors that they need to get these so-called "Saturday night specials" off the shelves.

John Zarrella, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired November 15, 2002 - 06:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on now to Florida, claims of a victory from both sides in a civil lawsuit. A jury finds a gun distributor liable in the fatal shooting of a schoolteacher, because the gun did not have a child-proof lock. But the jury placed most of the blame on others.
Here's CNN's John Zarrella with details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (on camera): It was billed as a potentially landmark case. Pamela Grunow sued the company that distributed the handgun used by Nathaniel Brazill when he killed her schoolteacher-husband, Barry Grunow.

But the six-woman jury found that Valor Corporation, the distributor, was only 5 percent responsible. It laid the other 95 percent of responsibility at the feet of the Palm Beach County school board, and at a family friend of Nathaniel Brazill's, who owned the gun used in the murder.

Now, the jury did award $24 million in damages, but the Grunows may only see $1.2 million of the damages, because that's the 5 percent assessed to the Valor Corporation.

The attorneys representing Valor say this is a tremendous victory for them. There is no landmark case here.

Attorneys representing Grunow say, in fact, this sends a message to gun dealers, gun manufacturers and gun distributors that they need to get these so-called "Saturday night specials" off the shelves.

John Zarrella, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.