sellers market - firearms

From: Joe <rigdonj_at_intellistar.net>
Date: Wed Mar 24 09:55:27 1999

At 10:56 PM 3/23/99 -0500, "bluoval" wrote:
>
>
>"Barry A. Watzman" wrote:
>
>> E-Bay banned fire arms for two reasons:
>
>Are these reasons official?
>
>> First, they couldn't do the background checks or check for stolen
weapons. A legally valid reason, but likely an excuse. Second, if someone
were assaulted with a weapon bought on E-Bay, the way things are going,
E-Bay could be sued, and lose, BIG TIME. That's probably the real reason.
>
>The first is a given, but its not an excuse, its the law. The second is
ridiculous, if Ebay sells the firearms lawfully. How could someone sue
Ebay for the sale of a firearm used in a crime? That's like suing a gun
store for selling a gun to a person who robbed a bank with it.

  Not as rediculous as it may seem. There have been lots of gun stores sued
for that reason. In fact, Walmart was sued for that exact thing a few years
ago and they quit carrying handguns because of that suit.

 Unless Ebay doesn't sell the gun(s) according to the
>law, Ebay will win.

  They will probably win but you have to consider the legal costs. E-bay
is a business and if it costs more than they make on gun sales then they'll
drop the gun sales.
>
>Sure, you can sue anyone for anything, but chances are the person suing
Ebay for >something like that, and winning, is not likely at all!

    But E-OverPay isn't willing to take that risk.

   Joe
Received on Wed Mar 24 1999 - 09:55:27 GMT