The Missouri Supreme Court has ruled a woman can sue an Odessa pawn shop for selling a gun to her mentally ill daughter, which the daughter used to kill the woman’s husband.
Supreme Court of Missouri, Photo courtesy of Missouri Supreme Court
The Court partially reversed the decision of a Lafayette County judge, who dismissed the suit against Odessa Gun & Pawn. It said Janet Delana could pursue a claim of “negligent entrustment,” against the store.
Delana’s daughter killed Tex Delana at the Delana’s home in Wellington, but was found not guilty of murder because of her mental condition. The daughter used a gun she bought from Odessa Gun & Pawn after Delana called the store and begged them not to make such a sale, because of her daughter’s mental illness.