Parents Sue Drug Dealers July 9, 2002
News Summary
The parents of two teenagers in Illinois who died of drug overdoses are using an obscure state law to sue the drug dealers, the Chicago Tribune reported July 7.Under the Illinois Drug Dealer Civil Liability Act, which was enacted in 1996, people involved in selling illegal drugs can be held liable for injuries they have caused.
"One of the goals is to get to those retail, middle-class people who are relatively untouched now by law enforcement, and obviously some of the people who have very great wealth," said Daniel Bent, a former federal prosecutor from Honolulu who drafted the model legislation that 14 states have adopted.
The suits, filed earlier this year in McHenry and DuPage Counties, go after drug dealers who were convicted for small-time drug dealing.
John Kreamer, a Chicago attorney who filed the lawsuits on behalf of both families, said it is the first time the state law has been used.
"These families know it will be an uphill battle to potentially collect on any judgments. The main reason they are bringing this forth is to have their day in court," Kreamer said. "Hopefully, this suit will serve as a deterrent to anyone participating in illegal drugs."
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