The lawsuit against gun manufacturer Remington Arms by the families of victims of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary has taken a shocking and tasteless turn.
According to a motion filed last week, in place of internal documents the gun-maker was required to submit included thousands of "random" images.
These included cartoon images, photographs sports and social gatherings and videos of gender reveals and ice-bucket challenges.
The Connecticut Post shared some of the accompanying images to their Twitter page.
A complaint filed by the families\u2019 lawyers in Connecticut Superior Court says \u201cThere is no possible reasonable explanation for this conduct.\u201d\n\nOne of the images appears to depict a minion illustrated as filet mignon \u2014 with the caption \u201cfilet minion.\u201dpic.twitter.com/EATiDYGcLh— Connecticut Post (@Connecticut Post) 1625677351
Other images are simpler cartoons, plus 1,521 video files of gender reveal parties and the ice bucket challenge, according to the complaint. The families\u2019 lawyers say the company is trying to delay the case.pic.twitter.com/lYWrNRd75J— Connecticut Post (@Connecticut Post) 1625677352
Josh Koskoff, the lead attorney for the victims of the families, did not hold back on his anger in this bizarre turn of events, telling The Huffington Post:
"Nothing about the tactics that have been employed by the defense...surprise me."
"The last thing Remington wants is for us to get the information that these families deserve from them, because I'm sure they know it's deeply incriminating about their marketing conduct."
"This is a defendant that doesn't want these families to know the truth, because they're worried about the truth."
"That's the only conclusion you can draw."
Filed as early as 2014, the lawsuit charges Remington with improperly marketing the AR-15 rifle, with which Adam Lanza murdered 26 students and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December of 2012.
Remington made an appeal to stop the lawsuit in 2019, which was rejected by the Supreme Court.
Last year, Remington had been accused of trying to derail the lawsuit after filing for bankruptcy.
Many took to Twitter to express their disgust at Remington's actions.
They sent this to the families whose children had been gunned down by their product?!?— ~ Anne ~ (@~ Anne ~) 1625694284
This is so hurtful, disgusting & disrespectful to the families.— WheelsofDJP (@WheelsofDJP) 1625683184
This arrogance by a gun manufacture needs to be met with liability that if their gun injures or kills they are responsible for paying the victims & their families. Millions of dollars going out will get rid of this arrogance. Gun violence should be labeled a health crisis— Michael (@Michael) 1625686509
To be disrespectful to families who have LOST THEIR CHILDREN to fun violence is something that should infuriate even gun owners - If they have even a shred of compassion.— Leela Vox (@Leela Vox) 1625751709
I need these families to get extra financial compensation for each paper, picture, minute, and seconds this case is intentionally delayed. So disrespectful.— D. W. (@D. W.) 1625685811
James Vogts, lead attorney for Remington, has yet to comment on the cartoons, but told The Connecticut Post:
"[Remington] will respond to this motion in the coming weeks, and point out what it believes are incorrect representations, numerous half-truths, and important omissions by counsel."