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Court rules against Chicago ban, but don't buy that gun yet
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| Contributor | Imperator |
| Last Edited | Imperator Jun 28, 2010 11:50am |
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| Category | Legal Ruling |
| News Date | Monday, June 28, 2010 05:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court reversed a ruling upholding Chicago's ban today and extended the reach of the 2nd Amendment as a nationwide protection against laws that infringe the "right to keep and bear arms."
The 5-4 decision appears to void the 1982 ordinance, one of the nation's strictest that barred city residents from having handguns for their own use, even at home.
Two years ago, the high court ruled in a case from Washington, D.C. that the 2nd Amendment protects the rights of individuals to have a gun for self-defense. Since the District is a federal city and not a state, the court did not decide then whether the 2nd Amendment could be used to challenge other municipal ordinances or state laws.
In today's decision, the court said the constitutional protection of the 2nd Amendment extends to city and state laws, not just federal measures.
But because the court sent the case back to a lower court, Chicago's handgun ban remains in effect for now. Mayor Richard Daley has scheduled a news conference for 1 p.m. today to discuss the ruling.
Otis McDonald, one of the people who sued Chicago over the gun ban, left the Supreme Court today saying,"I am so happy. I am so happy," then faced a barrage of reporters to talk about the victory.
McDonald, 76, opened his remarks by thanking Jesus Christ, then his attorneys, then his fellow plaintiffs and finally "all the wonderful people all across America who have been supportive of the 2nd Amendment and our right to defend ourselves."
He also thanked the justices "for having the courage to right a wrong, which has impacted many lives long ago and that will protect lives for many years to come."
When asked by a reporter what type of handgun he would buy, he did not miss a beat. "I don't have no preference right now. I can use all of them," he said.
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