brandon’s arms
every once in a while you run across a “tree hits car” story, and reading that a 7-year-old kid is trying to buy a gun manufacturer definitely fits into that category… brandon maxfield is trying to buy the manufacturer of the gun that made him a quadriplegic:
Donations Still Needed So Bryco Arms’ Plant Manager Can’t Outbid [brandon’s arms press release, july 9, 2004]A child paralyzed as a result of Bryco Arms’ defective gun design has raised enough money to make an initial bid to shut down the gun factory and prevent 75,000 defective guns from hitting the streets. With the support of its many donors, Brandon’s Arms will offer an initial bid today of $175,000 to a Florida federal bankruptcy judge.
it’s a little deeper story, but i want to highlight a little bit from an ap story on the story…
Teen Bids for Maker of Gun That Maimed Him [ap via abc news, july 9, 2004]Bryco founder Bruce Jennings and his Nevada-based distribution company were ordered to pay $24 million of a $51 million judgment in Maxfield’s lawsuit. Maxfield has received $8.7 million none of it from Jennings or Bryco from others named in the suit.
Days after the verdict, Jennings moved across the country to Florida, where he purchased a $500,000 annuity and a $900,000 home and hangar in Daytona Beach. He filed both for personal bankruptcy and bankruptcy for Bryco in Florida, where state law allows debtors to keep their houses.
Jennings also reportedly owns a Lamborghini and other expensive cars and aircraft, which Maxfield’s attorneys are pursuing.
it’s going to be a rare moment, but in this case, the meta-roj blog applauds the attorneys. that comes with the caveat: brandon’s lawyers better not end up owning lamborghini’s when this is all over. do the right thing.
drop by brandon’s arms for more on the story and yet another amazing kid doing something in this world.
update: brandon is outbid