Gunmaker lawsuit after Auburn grad’s death faces major obstacle, attorney warns

As Alabama prosecutors stay tight-lipped astir the alleged accidental shooting that killed an Auburn University postgraduate successful her boyfriend's household location — weeks aft she landed her imagination occupation — a seasoned proceedings lawyer says the family’s suit against the gunmaker whitethorn already look a problem.

Jeffrey Towers, a 54-year-old begetter from Trussville, is accused of "inadvertently" shooting his son's 22-year-old girlfriend, Whitney Robeson, an Auburn University alumna who had conscionable launched her interior plan vocation weeks earlier her death.

Robeson died successful March, astir an hr aft Towers allegedly discharged an antique .22-caliber revolver, striking her successful the chest, according to the lawsuit.

AUBURN GRAD WHO JUST LANDED DREAM JOB ALLEGEDLY SHOT AND KILLED BY BOYFRIEND'S FATHER IN ALABAMA

Brandon Towers and Whitney Robeson successful an undated household photo. Towers' father, Jeffrey Towers, is accused of "inadvertently" discharging an antique firearm, which fatally wounded his son's girlfriend, Robeson, a 22-year-old caller postgraduate of Auburn University who had conscionable started a vocation successful interior design. (Brandon Towers/Instagram)

Jefferson County prosecutors filed manslaughter charges earlier this month, soon earlier Robeson's household filed a wrongful decease suit against Towers and 15 unnamed entities, including the gunmaker.

"Regardless of what broadside you're on, erstwhile you record a suit similar this, you are going to person each large firearm shaper and lobbying groups making darn definite that the Second Amendment is not infringed upon," said Paul Calli, a proceedings lawyer and adept connected law law. "There'll beryllium friends of the tribunal briefed and pleadings, petitions to appear, and truthful the 1 objection astir that national instrumentality that preempts liability astatine the authorities level against firearm manufacturers is defective manufacturing."

SUPREME COURT APPEARS SKEPTICAL OF MEXICO'S LAWSUIT AGAINST AMERICAN GUNMAKERS

Whitney Robeson, a 22-year-old Auburn University postgraduate from Richmond, Virginia, was changeable and killed connected March 7 astatine a location successful Trussville, Alabama. (Instagram/@whitneyharlowdesign)

He told Fox News Digital that the Protection of Lawful Commerce successful Arms Act of 2005 could beryllium to beryllium a large obstacle successful going aft the firearm's shaper with the lawsuit.

The instrumentality protects firearms manufacturers from definite lawsuits but has an objection for defective products, which Calli said whitethorn beryllium hard to beryllium since the lawsuit involves an antique revolver.

"How bash you analyse the manufacturing information of an antique firearm?" Calli asked. "That’s going to beryllium a hurdle implicit which they’re going to person a hard clip getting over."

The suit alleges that Towers not lone handled the limb negligently, but besides that the gunmaker produced the revolver with inherent plan flaws.

WATCH: Attorney for Alabama dada weighs successful connected shooting that near son's woman dead

Robeson's parents, Carin and Matthew Robeson, are relying connected the Alabama Extended Manufacturer’s Liability Doctrine to additionally allege that the firearm was defectively designed, "unfit for its mean purpose," and lacked capable information features "as to forestall inadvertent discharge."

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

"At its core, this substance involves the tragic and unnecessary decease of a 22-year-old young pistillate whose beingness was chopped abbreviated acold excessively soon," their attorney, Andrew Moak, said successful a statement. "Whitney was a daughter, loved one, and subordinate of her community, and that should ne'er beryllium mislaid successful the treatment surrounding this case."

He said the household is seeking justness and accountability. The suit does not specify monetary damages being sought.

A divided representation shows Auburn alumni Brandon Towers and Whitney Robeson connected the near and Jeffrey Towers, Brandon's father, connected the right. The elder Towers is accused of "inadvertently" discharging a firearm, resulting successful Robeson's decease successful his Alabama home. (Brandon Towers/Instagram, Courtesy of the Amari Law Firm)

SEND US A TIP HERE

Calli said that it's antithetic for the civilian suit to travel truthful aboriginal successful the transgression process, which proceeds separately, since the civilian lawsuit would apt beryllium stayed until aft the state's lawsuit is resolved. Also, without the gunmaker being publically named, it's not instantly wide that it's inactive successful business.

ALEC BALDWIN'S 'RUST' CREW QUIT ON CRUCIAL DAY BEFORE CINEMATOGRAPHER'S DEATH: DOC

For now, helium said helium inactive has much questions than answers.

Whitney Robeson, 22, studied interior plan astatine Auburn earlier getting a occupation astatine RH, formerly known arsenic Restoration Hardware. (Instagram/@whitneyharlowdesign)

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

"I'm not definite however they cognize that their weapon was loaded oregon a slug wasn't inserted portion this alleged show was taking spot successful beforehand of these 3 people," helium said. "That's portion of the questions that, I deliberation erstwhile you work a civilian complaint, you don't wanna person those questions successful the reader's mind. You wanna reply them for the imaginable jurors."

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Towers has not yet entered a plea. He was released connected $30,000 bond, the highest magnitude for a Class B felony similar manslaughter. He is owed backmost successful tribunal connected July 22 and further accusation astir the transgression lawsuit is expected to beryllium fixed implicit to the defence done find earlier then.

Jeffrey Towers, left, is accused of "inadvertently" discharging an antique revolver, sidesplitting his son's 22-year-old woman Whitney Robeson successful the process. (Courtesy of the Amari Law Firm)

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

"Nothing that we bash oregon accidental arsenic a transgression defence team...diminishes the information that a beingness was mislaid present — and a peculiar life," Johnny Amari, 1 of Towers' transgression defence attorneys, told Fox News Digital previously. "This miss was peculiar to my client, peculiar to my client's family."

Amari's instrumentality steadfast is not representing him successful the civilian case.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"Innocent until proven blameworthy is not conscionable a ineffable rule, it’s a ineligible standard," Amari said. "Our presumption is he’s not blameworthy of the discourtesy that he’s charged with."

In an online obituary, Robeson's household revealed she had wanted to enactment successful interior plan since her childhood, inspired by shows connected HGTV. After graduating summa cum laude from Auburn's interior plan program, she got a occupation arsenic a commercialized advisor for RH, formerly known arsenic Restoration Hardware, doing conscionable that.