The U.S. Justice Department announced that it is suing First Choice Armor over its marketing of Zylon-based bullet-proof vests that the company knew would break down in heat or humidity. The suit follows disclosures by Dr. Aaron Westrick, a researcher for another manufacturer, who first opposed the use of Zylon for body protection. Based on his disclosures, Zylon-based armor is now off the market, and officers lives have been saved. Dr. Westrick was fired.
The Washington Examiner has reported that the Justice Department has a 2003 email showing that First Choice’s founder, Edward Dovner, knew that the vests would fail after exposure to heat and humidity. The Justice Department is suing Dovner and his wife, Karen Herman, for transferring assets to evade the government’s collection efforts.
