Justice probes maker of defective bulletproof vests

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by ghostrider, Sep 27, 2005.


  1. ghostrider

    ghostrider Resident Poltergeist Founding Member

    Justice probes maker of defective bulletproof vests By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
    1 hour, 48 minutes ago



    The Justice Department has launched a criminal probe into whether a company knowingly provided defective bulletproof vests to President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and the Defense Department, two federal law enforcement officials said Monday.


    The officials, who declined to be named because they are prohibited from commenting on ongoing investigations, said Second Chance Body Armor Inc. is being investigated for possible fraud.


    One official said the probe could involve more serious charges if it is determined the company - the nation's largest maker of body armor - knew that the vests were unsafe. The Justice Department inquiry was first reported Monday by the Associated Press.


    Problems came to light two years ago when the Michigan-based company recalled 130,000 vests because of degradation problems with Zylon, a bullet-resistant fabric used in its vests. The vests were upgraded and returned.


    But in June the company issued a bulletin to police departments warning that its vests could fail and result in "serious injury or death." It estimated that about 100,000 of its vests remained in circulation.


    Among the past buyers of the vests was the Secret Service, according to a deposition given this month by the company's former research chief, Aaron Westrick.


    Westrick said the Secret Service bought the vests for its agents and for the president and first lady beginning with the 2001 inauguration.


    The Secret Service said it would not discuss its security measures for the Bushes.


    Also a customer was the Pentagon, which bought vests for elite troops, Westrick said.


    Douglas Wagner, a lawyer representing Second Chance in its civil litigation, said the company would cooperate with the government's inquiry.


    "Our main message has been that the Zylon-based body armor is defective and needs to be replaced," Wagner said.


    The Westrick deposition, a portion of which was obtained by USA TODAY, involves a lawsuit filed by the family of a California police officer who was killed in 2003 while wearing one of the company's vests.


    Westrick testified in the deposition that he had told Second Chance in a 2001 memo about problems with the vests.


    "Lives and credibility are at stake," Westrick wrote in urging the company to notify customers of the degradation problem.


    The company is now in federal bankruptcy court and dealing with 11 lawsuits over the quality of the vests. One of the lawsuits has been joined by the Justice Department.
     
  2. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    That's scary.
     
  3. ghostrider

    ghostrider Resident Poltergeist Founding Member

    Incredibly stupid. "We're making bulletproof vests, just discovered they won't really stop a bullet, but we're going to keep selling them anyway." I can think of quite a few outcomes, and NONE of them are good.
     
  4. Bear

    Bear Monkey+++ Founding Member Iron Monkey

    That's alot of "special" people and agencies that bought those vests.... hmmmmmm...... someone's got connections.... [peep]
     
  5. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    I pointed that out to a guy on ARF a couple years back. Was selling one of the super Hybrid Spider Web models and I sent him the story from Second Chances site. He ignored me and sold it anyway. I'm not sure how many were actually sold after they found out they photo-degraded. I'll ask a local here who used to work for them.

    For anyone who read Unintended Consequences, Second Chance is named "New Lease" and Ross thinks pretty highly of them. Have to be careful in believinmg the media's side of the story. Would hate to start a feeding frenzy on one of our own... just a thought
     
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