District Government Reacts to Heller Ruling (City of DC Official News Release)

Office of the Mayor, Washington, DC ^ | June 26, 2008 | some hand-wringing liberal in the Mayor's press office

[tgslTakoma]

(Washington, DC) -- Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Interim Attorney General Peter Nickles and Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier announced their disappointment in today’s ruling of the United States Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, in which the Court ruled that District of Columbia statutes banning private handgun possession at home and requiring safe storage of firearms at home violate the Second Amendment.

“I’m disappointed in the Court’s ruling and believe introducing more handguns into the District will mean more handgun violence,” said Mayor Fenty. “But I want to emphasize that at this moment, our gun laws remain in effect. It may be several weeks before there are changes to announce.

“In the meantime, I have directed the Metropolitan Police Department to implement an orderly process for allowing qualified citizens to register handguns for lawful possession in their homes.

Fenty, Nickles and Lanier emphasized that they will continue vigorously enforcing other gun-control laws that the court did not disturb—including the law that all firearms including handguns must be properly registered with the Metropolitan Police Department—and considering other ways to lessen gun violence in the District.

“I commend the efforts of our legal team in presenting our side of this difficult and contentious issue,” said Interim Attorney General Nickles. “I will continue to direct the Office of the Attorney General to fight hard for the people of the District. While we were not successful regarding the handgun and safe storage laws, I am pleased that the court recognized that local jurisdictions like the District can adopt common-sense, reasonable regulations to protect their citizens against gun violence, and that the court left intact the District’s law requiring licensing of those who would carry handguns.”

The Mayor, Attorney General and Chief emphasized that the Supreme Court’s ruling is limited and leaves intact various other laws that apply to private citizens who would purchase handguns or other firearms for home possession. First, all firearms must be registered with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Firearms Registration Section before they may be lawfully possessed. Second, automatic and semiautomatic handguns generally remain illegal and may not be registered. Third, the Supreme Court’s ruling is limited to handguns in the home and does not entitle anyone to carry firearms outside his or her own home. In addition, although the Court struck the safe storage provision on the ground that it was too broadly written, firearms at home should be kept either unloaded and disassembled or else locked except for use in self-defense in emergencies.

“We will comply with the Court’s reading of the Second Amendment in its letter and spirit,” said Chief Lanier. “At the same time, we will continue vigorously enforcing the District’s other gun-control laws and are considering other ways to protect the District’s citizens against the scourge of gun violence.”

Under its rules, the Supreme Court will not formally issue its mandate for about a month to allow the parties to file rehearing petitions. After that period passes, the court of appeals will send the case to the district court to enter an injunction, though the district court will have to decide exactly how the injunction should be phrased. The injunction is the court order that will officially prevent the District from enforcing the handgun ban. That process may yet take several weeks.

In the meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police Department within three weeks days will issue the text of regulations to establish a process for registering handguns, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision. MPD will make clear how those who wish to register handguns should do so and what handguns may be registered. MPD will establish an amnesty period during which residents who already own handguns that were not registered previously can register them without fear of criminal liability under District law. Registration will proceed as expeditiously as possible but may need to await lower court orders implementing the Supreme Court decision.

MPD will keep the public informed of the date on which citizens officially can begin registering handguns. Citizens with specific questions are encouraged to contact the Firearms Registration Section at (202) 727-4275.

[tgslTakoma]

Discuss amongst yourselves...

[Rosamond]

oops! First read it as ‘’disgust among yourselves’’

[Southack]

The lower court’s ruling against DC’s ban was upheld by the SCOTUS, and now the SCOTUS ruling goes back to that lower court - that has been repeatedly poked and prodded by DC.

Methinks that the final disposition will therefor be even more in our favor, and much less in the vein of how the DC Mayor is desiring.

For whatever reason(s), arrogance, ignorance, poor legal background, etc...DC is proceding in a manner that can only aggravate the lower court.

This is going to end very badly for DC’s leftists...

[Rosamond]

“amongst”

[Jeff Head]

What's to discuss. These marxists believe that the citizens should not have guns...the constitution states otherwise.

Washington DC has had the most severe gun laws in the nation for years...and violence has continued to increase.

These dimwits amd wannabe-tyrants, and despite what he says today, Obama has been grouped with them for years, are not willing to admit or suffer that the law abiding citizens arm themselves.

I have news for these flunkies...criminals will get guns. Guns in the hands of hones law abiding citizens protecting themselves puts a stop to the criminal use of guns.

The tragedy of today was thsat the ruling was so close. On a subject so clear and so obvious, four justices voted against their own oath. But we will take the win and thank God for it.

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

[steel_resolve]

Second, automatic and semiautomatic handgunsgenerally remain illegal and may not be registered

HAHA lol, sounds like wishful thinking to me.

[pankot]

This out to bring the lefties out of the woodwork.

[Jack Hammer]

“I’m disappointed in the Court’s ruling...”

There’s nothing that puts a Marxist Petty Commissar’s knickers in a twist like losing control of some aspect - any aspect - of the lives of his proles.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

It seems the good Mayor risks a charge of contempt of court, the way he’s talking about dragging his feet for a couple of weeks before “ALLOWING” people to have their Constitutional rights.

/STEAMING

[Lurker]

said Mayor Fenty. “But I want to emphasize that at this moment, our gun laws remain in effect.

Actually they don't, a**hole.

L

[herewego]

Is there any chance someone will argue before the lower court the evils of registration or will our newly welcomed shooters comply with such dangerous demands?

[HardStarboard]

Hey, there was a news article posted today somewhere on FR that claimed that "bolt action, semi-automatic rifles" were a problem not addressed by the court ruling.

huh?

what % of the press corps do you believe has ever touched a firearm, much less fired one? My guess, 3% max.....

[sourcery]

The DC government needs to be found in contempt of Court. They lost in District Court, and then they lost at the appellate level, so there is no need to wait for the court of first instance to issue an injunction. The stay of the original court's ruling was dissolved as soon as the SCOTUS ruled. Since the original ruling was itself an injunction, and since the SCOTUS affirmed it, that ruling is now immediately in effect.

[snowstorm12]

If they want handgun violence to decrease, they need to lock up career criminals, start locking up gang members like they went after the mob. Pass a 3 strikes law or something because criminal activity escalates into more serious crimes. How bout longer jailtime and no parole? Most of these people engaging in violence have already been to the slammer, they just keep letting them out and the liberal juries in these cities don’t want to convict. Get to the root of the problem and fix it there. build more jails if they keep filling up because that is money worth dishing out to fix the problem.

[supercat]

Is there any chance someone will argue before the lower court the evils of registration or will our newly welcomed shooters comply with such dangerous demands?

If the mayor has publicly announced that he will unlawfully refuse to accept registrations, would that not render void the registration requirement?

[supercat]

Pass a 3 strikes law or something because criminal activity escalates into more serious crimes.

Something like "The Wheel" from Beyond Thunderdome might be better, if courts would accept it. The more crimes someone commits before they get caught, the more times they spin the wheel. One problem with today's "three strikes" law is that someone with two strikes who's committed a third crime has little reason to avoid committing further crimes, especially ones that might increase his chances for escape. If committing such further crimes would mean extra spins on The Wheel, however, such a notion might appear less attractive.

[Figment]

“Fenty, Nickles and Lanier emphasized that they will continue vigorously enforcing other gun-control laws that the court did not disturb—including the law that all firearms including handguns must be properly registered with the Metropolitan Police Department—and considering other ways to lessen gun violence in the District”

I’m sure the gang bangers are keeping up with all the legalities here. Wouldn’t want to get busted for a new technicality now

[El Gato]

But I want to emphasize that at this moment, our gun laws remain in effect

Tell it to the Supreme Court you worthless piece of canine excrement. They said, and I quote:

We affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeals. It is so ordered.

Do you prefer chrome or stainless steel cuffs? What size jumpsuit do you wear? and where would you like the federal marshals to send your personal effects?

[goldstategop]

They act like our rights are privileges. I'm remind of what Martin Luther King Jr. said: "authority concedes nothing without a demand." Not when segregation was part of American law and not today when a government prevents people from defending their homes and family - and yes - their persons on the street and wherever they have a lawful right to be.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[El Gato]

The lower court’s ruling against DC’s ban was upheld by the SCOTUS, and now the SCOTUS ruling goes back to that lower court - that has been repeatedly poked and prodded by DC. Methinks that the final disposition will therefor be even more in our favor, and much less in the vein of how the DC Mayor is desiring.

The Supreme Court upheld the court of appeal, which said.

For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the district court is reversed and the case is remanded. Since there are no material questions of fact in dispute, the district court is ordered to grant summary judgment to Heller consistent with the prayer for relief contained in appellants’ complaint.

Thus the disctrict court has NO wiggle room at all.