A New York jury on Friday found National Rifle Association (NRA) officials liable for millions of dollars in damages.
New York's Democratic Attorney General Letitia James sued the gun rights group in August 2020, seeking to disband it.Juror finds former NRA CEO and executive vice president Wayne LaPierre liable for $5.4 million, FOX News report. (Related: 'Based and Premeditated Attack': NRA Announces Lawsuit Against New York State Attorney General)
The jury also ruled against former NRA Treasurer Woody Phillips and current NRA President and General Counsel John Fraser, but did not find them financially liable. according to To The Reload. New York Judge Joel M. Cohen ruled that James cannot seek to dissolve the NRA in March 2022.
NRA Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre attends the NRA Annual Meeting at the 148th NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibition on April 27, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The six-person jury found that Mr. Lapierre, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Fraser did not properly manage the group's assets, Reload reported. Mr Cohen will need to decide how to deal with the group's future, including potentially ordering an independent monitor to oversee it.
During his 2018 attorney general campaign, James made a number of statements that showed hostility toward the NRA. “The NRA claims that: [itself] Although it operates as a charity organization, in reality, [it] Really [is] It’s a terrorist organization,” she said. ebony magazine.
James also vowed to “target the NRA.” Released in July 2018 On the campaign trail, she vowed to “examine the legitimacy of the NRA as a charity.” “The NRA is a dangerous propaganda machine masquerading as a public interest charity,” James argued in the release.
Mr. LaPierre, 74, who announced his resignation on January 5 for health reasons, said in a New York courtroom on January 30 that the disease is affecting his neurological function.
“Mr. LaPierre and other NRA executives blatantly abused their position and broke the law,” James said. statement It was released on Friday. “But today, after years of rampant corruption and self-dealing, Wayne LaPierre and the NRA are finally being held accountable. We will not hesitate to pursue justice, no matter how powerful.”
“The jury verdict in the high-profile New York trial confirms what the National Rifle Association (NRA) has long maintained: that it was harmed by certain former vendors and 'insiders' who abused the trust the association placed in them.” This confirms that. ” the NRA said in a statement. statement It was released on Friday. “The jury found no cause to dismiss the remaining NRA employee, NRA General Counsel and Director John Fraser, who is an individual defendant in this case.”
The group also highlighted the significant changes it has made to the release.
“The NRA has adopted new policies and accounting controls, expelled vendors and insiders who abused the association, and established that it has accepted compensation for costs determined to be excess profits,” the gun rights group said in a statement. mentioned in. “Most of these corrective actions were part of an internal investigation initiated by the NRA Committee and were adopted before NYAG filed its lawsuit.”
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