日批在线视频_内射毛片内射国产夫妻_亚洲三级小视频_在线观看亚洲大片短视频_女性向h片资源在线观看_亚洲最大网

   

High court to weigh ban on gun ownership

(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-11-21 12:06

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will decide whether the District of Columbia can ban handguns, a case that could produce the most in-depth examination of the constitutional right to "keep and bear arms" in nearly 70 years.

The justices' decision to hear the case could make the divisive debate over guns an issue in the 2008 presidential and congressional elections.

City officials said the law is designed to reduce gun violence, noting that four out of every five homicides this year was committed with a gun. Opponents of the ban pointed to the level of violence to make their case that Washington residents should be allowed to have guns to protect themselves in their homes.

"This is clearly going to be one of the biggest ... cases decided this year," said Georgetown University law professor Randy Barnett. "It is one of the very few times when the Supreme Court has the opportunity to interpret a provision of the Constitution ... unencumbered by previous Supreme Court rulings."

The government of Washington, D.C., is asking the court to uphold its 31-year ban on handgun ownership in the face of a federal appeals court ruling that struck down the ban as incompatible with the Second Amendment. Tuesday's announcement was widely expected, especially after both the District and the man who challenged the handgun ban asked for the high court review.

The main issue before the justices is whether the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own guns or instead merely sets forth the collective right of states to maintain militias. The former interpretation would permit fewer restrictions on gun ownership.

Gun-control advocates say the Second Amendment was intended to ensure that states could maintain militias, a response to 18th-century fears of an all-powerful national government. Gun rights proponents contend the amendment gives individuals the right to keep guns for private uses, including self-defense.

Alan Gura, a lawyer for Washington residents who challenged the ban, said he was pleased that the justices were considering the case.

Guns be regulated but not banned, Gura said. "This isn't going to let crazy people have guns or felons have guns," he said at a news conference outside the court.

Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, noted that 44 state constitutions contain some form of gun rights, which are not affected by the court's consideration of Washington's restrictions. "The American people know this is an individual right the way they know that water quenches their thirst," LaPierre said. "The Second Amendment allows no line to be drawn between individuals and their firearms."

Washington Mayor Adrian M. Fenty said city officials were grateful the Supreme Court took the handguns case and believed they would ultimately prevail. Fenty, speaking at a news conference in a District office building, called it "the most important court case the District of Columbia has been involved in and possibly the most important decision a city or state has been involved in for decades."

Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said the Supreme Court should "reverse a clearly erroneous decision and make it clear that the Constitution does not prevent communities from having the gun laws they believe are needed to protect public safety."

Barnett, the Georgetown professor, said that even if the court decides there is an individual right to have guns, it still could determine that broad restrictions short of a ban are legal.

Such a decision won't "automatically determine the outcome of any challenge to any gun law," Barnett said.

   1 2   


Top World News  
Today's Top News  
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲综合一二三 | 精品午夜一区二区三区在线观看 | 男女爽爽爽免费视频 | 天天干天天舔 | 午夜久久久久久久 | 国产黄色精品网站 | 一区二区在线观看视频 | www日本高清视频 | 天堂a在线| 精品国产999久久久免费 | 天堂av网在线 | 欧美日韩一区二区在线观看视频 | 日韩一区二区三区在线观看视频 | 国产免费视屏 | 亚洲a级片 | 在线观看视频国产 | 国产欧美一区二区三区在线老狼 | 精品国产免费人成在线观看 | 欧美与动交zoz0z | 91福利在线视频 | 一区二区视频免费看 | 秋霞网av | 欧美日本成人 | 成人欧美日韩 | 欧美一二区视频 | 五月天婷婷综合 | 日韩中文字幕在线视频 | 日本黄色短视频 | 九一在线免费观看 | 日韩在线视频网址 | 国产一区二区视频在线播放 | 日韩av一区二区三区在线观看 | 午夜在线视频 | 日本一本不卡 | 天天精品视频 | 好吊视频一区二区 | 一区二区三区四区精品 | 亚洲精品在线免费 | 国产精品美女 | 黄色的网址 | 精品成人一区 |