Glock refuses to sign on to Smith & Wesson deal

March 21, 2000
Web posted at: 6:40 p.m. EST (2340 GMT)

SMYRNA, Georgia (CNN) -- Glock Inc., one of the nation's top pistol makers, announced Tuesday it would not sign on to an agreement reached between fellow gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson and federal and city governments on mandatory gun safety requirements.

Glock refused to sign on because the company wanted the right to make its business decisions without any interference from the government, said Paul Jannuzzo, Glock vice president and general counsel.

"We will not subject ourselves to the monitoring of this commission," he said, referring to a commission of government representatives and Smith & Wesson officials that will monitor compliance of that company's agreement.

Jannuzzo said Glock already has adopted many of the provisions proposed in the Smith & Wesson agreement, but is fundamentally opposed to signing onto the deal.

"It's not a reasonable agreement," Jannuzzo said. "They're going to try to control a consumer's behavior."

He said Glock reached its decision during a conference call among top executives Tuesday.

Thirty cities had sued gun manufacturers to recover the costs associated with gun violence and the federal government, citing crime in public housing, which had threatened to begin litigation of its own.

To avoid those suits, Smith & Wesson signed an agreement Friday to install gun locks and other child-safety devices on all guns and introduce "smart-gun" technology in all newly designed handguns.

Smith & Wesson also promised to put a hidden second serial number on handguns to make it easier to trace guns.

"I understand the business decision that was made," said Jannuzzo. "I'm just tired of this extortion."

"This thing is a ridiculous red herring," he said.