Domestic abusers have gun rights too, US appeals court rules | Australasian Lawyer

The judgment claimed that DV perps are “part of the political community entitled to the Second Amendment’s guarantees”

The decades-old US law barring Americans who commit domestic-violence from possessing guns contradicts the nation’s “historical tradition” of access to firearms even for people who aren’t “model citizens,” a federal appeals court ruled.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the decision “dangerous”, noting that “firearms are used to commit more than half of all intimate partner homicides in the United States”.

Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, said in a statement that the 5th Circuit decision should be overturned.

“This extreme and dangerous ruling is a death sentence for women and families as domestic violence is far too often a precursor to gun violence”, Shannon said. “When someone is able to secure a restraining order, we must do everything possible to keep them and their families safe – not empower the abuser with easy access to firearms.”

The case is USA v. Rahimi, 21-11001, US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (New Orleans).

Source: Domestic abusers have gun rights too, US appeals court rules | Australasian Lawyer

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