Suit by former Glock general counsel claims outside lawyers, company founder tried to ruin him
A former general counsel of Glock Inc. claims in a federal lawsuit that company founder Gaston Glock Sr. and two outside lawyers tried to ruin him with a fabricated criminal prosecution.
The plaintiff is Paul Jannuzzo, Glock’s general counsel from 1991 to 2003, who alleges a “multiyear campaign of private vindictiveness,” according to the Daily Report (sub. req.) and the Associated Press. Besides Glock, defendants in the suit include lawyers John Renzulli of the Renzulli Firm in New York City, and Robert Core of the Core Law Firm in Washington. D.C.
The suit claims Glock encouraged the prosecution of Jannuzzo because the Jannuzzo had learned of “substantial evidence of illegal activities” and because a company employee—now Jannuzzo’s wife—had shunned Glock’s advances.
Jannuzzo was accused of wrongdoing in corporate financial transactions and stealing a pistol, leading to his 2012 conviction in the racketeering and gun theft case. The Georgia Supreme Court overturned the conviction the next year based on a finding that the statute of limitations had expired. By the time Jannuzzo was released, he had spent more than 3½ years in prison.
The suit claims the defendants tried to persuade witnesses to change testimony or not to testify, and tried to conceal evidence that could have helped Jannuzzo.
Renzulli told the Daily report that “the complaint lacks merit, and I am looking forward to vigorously defending this case in court.” A lawyer for Core told AP he’s confident that Core will prevail.
