Here's a statement that I found on a 2nd Amendment-related website:
New Orleans Attorney Wendell Gauthier Dies at 58
On December 11th, 2001, Wendell Gauthier, one of the leading attorneys involved in litigation against the gun industry, succumbed to liver cancer. Mr. Gauthier was most famous for his involvement in litigation against Big Tobacco and was an early proponent of using the civil justice system to hold the gun industry accountable for the distribution of its products. Executive Director of the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence Joshua Horwitz commended Mr. Gauthier for his leadership and guidance saying, "Wendell Gauthier was one of the driving forces behind efforts to reform the gun industry. He put together the Castano Safe Gun Litigation Group, which gave victims of gun violence and municipalities access to a powerful network of plaintiffs' attorneys. He was one of the most prominent attorneys in the country and his leadership in the gun litigation effort is irreplaceable."