INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Almost 25 years after suing the firearms industry for failing to prevent illegal gun sales, the northwestern Indiana city of Gary won a critical victory last fall when a judge ordered gun manufacturers to hand over years of production and sales records.
But in March, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a new law retroactively banning cities from bringing such lawsuits, effectively halting the case. Republicans said the gun industry is not responsible for illegal sales. Critics say the legislation shows lawmakers don’t consider ending gun crime a priority and reflects their apathy for Gary's majority Black residents.
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Almost 25 years after suing the firearms industry for failing to prevent illegal gun sales, the northwestern Indiana city of Gary won a critical victory last fall when a judge ordered gun manufacturers to hand over years of production and sales records.
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
“There’s gun violence everywhere you turn in America,” longtime Gary resident Rev. Dena Holland-Neal said. “And someone has to be accountable.”
Gary is more racially diverse than the rest of Indiana and, sitting just east of Chicago, is one of its few Democratic strongholds. Most of its estimated 67,970 population is Black in contrast to 10% of people statewide, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Hospital chaplain Carmen McKee, who counsels victims of gun violence and their families, said racism underscores the actions of policymakers who dismiss Gary’s needs as, “‘It’s just Gary’ or ’It’s just another area of people of color.’”
“But yet they would not allow it to happen in their area,” McKee said.
Gary was among dozens of U.S. cities to sue major gun-makers and sellers in reaction to the out-of-control homicide rates and violent crime of the 1990s. But the other cities' cases fell by the wayside, leaving Gary's as the last suit standing when, in November, a Lake County judge ordered manufacturers to produce decades of business records.
“This case has persevered because it’s a valid claim,” said Rodney Pol, an attorney on the case and a Democratic state senator representing Gary.
Indiana's Republican-dominated Legislature moved quickly to approve the new law this year, stipulating that only the state's attorney general can bring civil action against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, and made it retroactive to Aug. 27, 1999, three days before Gary filed its lawsuit.
Rep. Chris Jeter, who wrote the legislation, told the House Committee on Judiciary that the judge's order would result in excessive costs for firearms manufacturers, which he said should not be held liable for illegal sales.
“I just think that there’s an effort to try to end this use of the court system as a weapon against gun manufacturers,” Jeter said.
He made no attempt to hide that Gary was his intended target.
“This bill is an effort to take one last shot to try to eliminate this last pending case,” he said.
Jeter did not respond to an Associated Press interview request.
The vocal minority Democratic caucus in the Indiana Legislature decried the new law for favoring firearms companies. State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, a former prosecutor who represents Gary, called it a “slap in the face” for attorneys and judges.
“That is something for the court to decide,” Hatcher said.
Days after the governor signed the law, gun manufacturers asked the court to end Gary's suit. The judge stayed the discovery Tuesday until the conflict with the new law is resolved. A status conference is scheduled for May 8.
Attorneys for the defendants either did not respond to messages from the AP or declined to comment on the case.
Several of the gun manufacturers and retailers named in the lawsuit are on the board of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which lobbies for the firearms and ammunition industries in Indiana and statehouses nationwide.
Lobbying records first reported by ProPublica and The Indianapolis Star show NSSF spent tens of thousands of dollars more on lobbying in Indiana last year than in the previous three years. Reports for this session haven't yet been filed.
“This case is, and always was, frivolous, an abuse of the legal system," Lawrence G. Keane, the senior vice president and general counsel for the group, said in a recent statement.
The Brady Center, a national organization supporting gun-control policy, represents Gary in the lawsuit. Philip Bangle, senior litigation counsel, said Brady plans to challenge the new state law.
For Gary residents and officials, the looming end of the lawsuit is a reminder of how the firearms industry has changed and the continued devastating impact of gun violence.
Technology and other changes over the past 20 years have made it easier to modify and re-sell illegal guns, Gary Deputy Police Chief Brian Evans said.
Violent crime offenders have trended younger during his three decades on the force, and often they are using guns acquired through illegal means, Evans said.
The case has been around for so long that Holland-Neal doubts it's even a topic of conversation among younger residents or recent arrivals. But she worries about the prevalence of firearms in her city and the rising tide of gun violence nationwide.
“There’s such a need for this country to figure out some way to put some laws together that address gun violence, that make a difference,” she said. “How that’s going to happen? I’m honest with you, I have no idea."
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Ragen Hatcher, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 3rd district, poses for a photo at the Gary Sanitary District building in Gary, Ind., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
NEW YORK (AP) — It's Met Gala time and the fashion parade of A-listers included a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet surrounded by foliage. Jennifer Lopez went for silver leaves in a second-skin goddess gown and Zendaya was all vamp and fantasy.
Both are co-chairs of the annual fundraiser at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. And both received cheers from the crowd of fashion enthusiasts packed behind barriers outside.
Flowers were everywhere, in line with this year's theme: “The Garden of Time.” Lopez (in Schiaparelli) was all va-va-voom in a near-naked gown that hugged like a second skin. She’s got the Meta Gala down: It’s her 14th. Zendaya put on her fashion face in hues of blue and green, with a head piece to match and leaf accents.
It's been five years since Zendaya last attended the Met Gala. Her look, in peacock colors, was by Margiela. Lopez went with Tiffany & Co. diamonds, including a stunning bird motif necklace with a diamond of over 20 carats at its center.
Colman Domingo donned an ivory jacket with a cape, holding a bouquet of white calla lilies, while Tyla chose a gown made to look like sand. She needed help with the hourglass she held as she made her way up the museum stairs.
Sam Smith wore silver and gold metal roses tucked into the waist of a jacket, and Jack Harlow also channeled florals, but subtly with a silver and pearl floral boutonniere.
Gala mastermind Anna Wintour wore a black coat adorned with multicolored flowers. Her fellow co-chair Bad Bunny donned all black. A pregnant Lea Michele wore Rodarte, inspired by the brand's 2012 spring/summer collection.
“I’m honored to be here and bring my baby with me,” Michele said. ”“I don’t think I was allowed a plus one, but I’m bringing” one, she said with a laugh. “I’m so grateful. I feel really beautiful, you know, in this pregnancy.”
Looking to follow along? Here's a quick primer on what you need to know about the palooza of A-list celebrities from film, fashion, music, sports, politics and social media.
That's tricky. Vogue has the exclusive livestream, which starts at 6 p.m. Eastern at Vogue.com. The feed will also be available on Vogue's digital platforms, including TikTok and YouTube.
Tons of other media will be on site, too. Catch the action on E!, also starting at 6 p.m., with livestreams on X, TikTok, Instagram and Peacock.
The Associated Press will be live outside the Mark Hotel, where many celebs get ready before heading to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for their walk up the grand staircase. That livestream will begin at 4:45 p.m. Eastern and will be available on YouTube and APNews.com.
Only the event's stacked red carpet is watchable — the gala's cocktail hour and dinner are notoriously private events.
It's a party, for sure, with cocktails and dinner for about invited 400 guests, but it's also a huge fundraiser for the Met's Costume Institute, the only department at the museum required to pay for itself. Last year, the gala raised about $22 million. Wintour, a Met trustee for whom part of the institute has been renamed, organizes the whole shebang. No phones are allowed, adding to the allure.
There's a dress code each year tied to the museum's spring exhibition. Some guests, not all, step up at the request of Wintour. This year's theme is inspired by J.G. Ballard's 1962 short story of the same name. It's a squishy fashion ask considering how specific last year's theme was: all things Karl Lagerfeld.
It's called “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” But we're not talking fairytales or Disney princesses. It includes 250 items from The Costume Institute’s permanent collection, including some garments very rarely seen in public and so fragile they need to be under glass. Curators wanted to engage all the senses, including smell. They worked with a “smell artist.” And there's a garment that actually grows. Part of the idea is to pay tribute to the natural world. The exhibit opens to the public Friday and runs through Sept. 2.
Follow the AP’s Met Gala coverage, including live updates and live video, at https://apnews.com/hub/met-gala
Colman Domingo attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Colman Domingo attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Zendaya attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Law Roach, left, and Zendaya attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Chris Hemsworth attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Zendaya attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Luciana Barroso, left, and Matt Damon attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Jennifer Lopez attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Lea Michele attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Maleah Joi Moon attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Zendaya attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Jennifer Lopez attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Jennifer Lopez attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Zendaya attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Emma Chamberlain attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Lily James attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Chris Hemsworth attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Bad Bunny attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Anna Wintour attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Chris Hemsworth, left, and Elsa Pataky attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Gwendoline Christie attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
La La Anthony attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Ashley Graham attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
FILE - Bad Bunny attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" exhibition on May 2, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Zendaya attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination exhibition on May 7, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Jennifer Lopez attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" exhibition on May 1, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Zendaya attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between exhibition on May 1, 2017, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Rihanna attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" exhibition on May 1, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Zendaya attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Camp: Notes on Fashion" exhibition on May 6, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
