Judge Upholds Most of New York's New Gun Rules

But strikes down odd "seven-bullet" rule

A federal judge on Tuesday upheld most of New York's new gun control law, rejecting arguments that its bans on large-capacity magazines and the sale of some semi-automatic rifles violate Second Amendment rights.

Judge William Skretny in Buffalo concluded those provisions are constitutional because they're related to achieving an "important governmental interest" in public safety. Those two features make guns more lethal, he wrote, citing testimony submitted in the case.

The law "applies only to a subset of firearms with characteristics New York state has determined to be particularly dangerous and unnecessary for self-defense," Skretny wrote. "It does not totally disarm New York's citizens, and it does not meaningfully jeopardize their right to self-defense."

Skretny upheld the ban on magazines that hold more than 10 bullets, but he struck down a restriction on gun owners loading more than seven bullets in legal 10-round magazines. He said that appears to be "an arbitrary number."

Comments

[John C. Randolph]

A judge pretends that the constitution doesn't say what it obviously says. Stop the presses!

-jcr

[DH]

This is the abridged constitution. The unabridged version has a little extra in it. "the right of the people to keep and bear arms that are relational to what the government feels is safe enough for the people shall not be infringed." I think the thing that disgusts me the most is how the judge used "government interest". Cause the government apparently isn't accountable to us anymore.