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SUPREME COURT REJECTS CHALLENGE TO ASSAULT WEAPON BAN
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Assault Weapon Ban November 26, 2001 10:24 AM ET Email this article Printer friendly version WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a constitutional challenge to a 1990 New Jersey law that banned assault weapons. Those challenging the law included a group called the Coalition of New Jersey Sportsmen, two firearms manufacturers, a licensed dealer and individual firearm owners. They argued the ban was unconstitutionally vague and violated their constitutional rights to free speech, free association and equal protection. A federal judge and then a U.S. appeals court upheld the law. Violators of the ban face between three and five years in prison. In appealing to the Supreme Court, the opponents said the law covered 66 named models and "substantially identical" firearms. They questioned whether it provided sufficient notice to firearms owners and adequate standards for the police. New Jersey defended the law, saying it was not intended to cover firearms used for legitimate hunting or target shooting. It said the federal government had banned the imports of 58 types of assault weapons and had outlawed such weapons. The state said no compelling reason existed for the Supreme Court to hear the case and added that the law did not violate any constitutional right. The justices denied the appeal without any comment or dissent. http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;jsessionid=0JWQAAZXPAUHUCRBAEOCFFAKEEARMIWD?type=topnews&StoryID=405654