ACTOR JOINS CRUSADE FOR DRUG LAW.Byline: Janet Gilmore Daily News Staff Writer Actor Carroll O'Connor John Carroll O'Connor (August 2, 1924 – June 21, 2001) was an American actor, most famous for his portrayal of the character Archie Bunker in the television sitcoms All in the Family (1971-1979) and Archie Bunker's Place (1979-1983). pjoined state officials Thursday in announcing legislation that would allow civil suits against drug dealers. O'Connor, who has waged a campaign against the man convicted of selling drugs to the actor's son before he committed suicide, said that if the bill became law, ``I'd sue him up the bazoo.'' Introduced by State Sen. Charles Calderon (D-Whittier), the legislation will be considered by the state Senate's Criminal Procedures Committee on Tuesday. Similar laws have already been introduced in Illinois, Ohio, Hawaii and Arkansas. In Michigan, a multimillion-dollar judgment was recently returned against a dealer who sold drugs to a woman who beat her baby to death while under the influence. State Attorney General Dan Lungren Daniel Edward (Dan) Lungren (born September 22, 1946), is a Republican of the United States House of Representatives representing California's 3rd congressional district (see map), located in the suburbs of Sacramento where he has served since 2005. on Thursday compared the bill to current laws that allow people to sue bartenders for negligence when a drunk customer causes a car accident. But this bill would go a step further. Drawing from a legal analysis involving market share in product liability cases, a drug dealer could be held liable even when there is no direct link between that dealer and the drug addict Any individual who habitually uses any narcotic drug so as to endanger the public morals, health, safety, or welfare, or who is so drawn to the use of such narcotic drugs as to have lost the power of self-control with reference to his or her drug use. in question, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Calderon. ``If you are convicted of a drug offense, then anyone in that county or that city where you are convicted, that is injured, can come back and sue you,'' Calderon said. ``They don't have to show that you sold the drug to anybody. All they have to show is that there is a drug conviction for a particular drug and that somebody on that drug injured another.'' Francisco Lobaco, legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), nonpartisan organization devoted to the preservation and extension of the basic rights set forth in the U.S. Constitution. , opposes the bill because of the vague tie. He said litigants should be forced to draw a link between the drug dealer and addict to establish guilt. Lobaco said the main purpose of the bill, co-sponsored by the California Narcotics narcotics n. 1) techinically, drugs which dull the senses. 2) a popular generic term for drugs which cannot be legally possessed, sold, or transported except for medicinal uses for which a physician or dentist's prescription is required. Officers Association, appears to be to assist law enforcement in seizing a dealer's assets. Calderon did not shy away from Verb 1. shy away from - avoid having to deal with some unpleasant task; "I shy away from this task" avoid - stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something; "Her former friends now avoid her" that point when speaking to reporters. ``The criminal justice system can only go so far to fight this (drug) issue,'' Calderon said. ``This is an effort to try to take the profit from the drug dealers . . . to go in and take their condominium condominium In modern property law, individual ownership of one dwelling unit within a multidwelling building. Unit owners have undivided ownership interest in the land and those portions of the building shared in common. by the ocean, to take their speedboat, to take their fancy cars, to take away their fancy suits, and to take away the profit and incentive and the motivation for them to be involved in this terrible, terrible act.'' Lungren said he anticipates legal challenges to the law if approved, but he is undeterred undeterred Adjective not put off or dissuaded Adj. 1. undeterred - not deterred; "pursued his own path...undeterred by lack of popular appreciation and understanding"- Osbert Sitwell undiscouraged . ``While it is charting new territory relatively speaking,'' Lungren said, ``we think it is worth the risk of charting new territory because of the true risk that is out there today and the damage done in countless lives as a result of people selling this poison.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Carroll O'Connor, Charles Calderon, left, and Dan Lun gren, back a bill to allow civil suits against drug dealers. Evan Yee/Daily News |
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