Civil Suits Against Drug Dealers Posed

Actor Carroll O’Connor joined California state officials in unveiling legislation that would allow civil suits against drug dealers.

O’Connor, who has waged a campaign against the man convicted of selling drugs to his son, said that if the bill became law, “I’d sue him up the bazoo.”

O’Connor’s son committed suicide last year.

Introduced by State Sen. Charles Calderon (D-Whittier), the legislation will be considered by the state Senate’s Criminal Procedures Committee on Tuesday.

Similar laws have already been introduced in Illinois, Ohio, Hawaii and Arkansas. In Michigan, a multimillion dollar judgment was recently returned against a dealer who sold drugs to a woman who beat her baby to death while under the influence.

California State Attorney Gen. Dan Lungren on Thursday compared the bill to current laws that allow people to sue bartenders for negligence when a drunk customer later causes a car accident.