Brady President Paul Helmke On Supreme Court Taking Gun Case

Sep 30, 2009

Washington, DC - Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, issued the following statement:

“It’s not surprising that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether its new definition of the Second Amendment applies to states and localities as well as federal enclaves - the so-called ‘incorporation issue’ - in the City of Chicago case.   Since the day the Supreme Court first held that individuals have a right to guns in the home for self-defense in District of Columbia v. Heller a year ago, we expected that the Court’s next step would be to resolve this issue.

“The Chicago case is unlikely to have much practical impact on most gun laws regardless of how the Court rules.   Even if the Court were to hold the Second Amendment applicable to states and localities, such a ruling is unlikely to change the crucial holding by the Supreme Court in Heller that a wide range of reasonable gun laws are presumptively constitutional, and that the Second Amendment right is narrowly limited to guns in the home for self-defense. Since the Heller decision, the gun lobby and criminals have brought at least 170 challenges to gun laws or to block criminal gun prosecutions. With only a handful of exceptions, those challenges have failed.”

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As the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign, with its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, works to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations and public policies. The Brady Campaign is devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.

For continuing insight and comment on the gun issue, read Paul Helmke's blog at www.bradycampaign.org/blog/. Visit the Brady Campaign website at www.bradycampaign.org.