Brady Center Applauds Maryland High Court's Crystal Clear Ruling on Second Amendment

Jan 6, 2011

Washington, D.C. - No need for magnifying glasses. The decision could not have been clearer. On January 5, 2011, Maryland’s highest court rejected a criminal defendant’s argument that he had a right to carry firearms in public, and ruled that the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Second Amendment decisions recognized only a limited right to a gun in the home for self-defense.

The Maryland Court said that a law which "prohibits wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun, without a permit and outside of one's home, is outside of the scope of the Second Amendment."

Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which assisted Maryland in this case, State v. Williams, released the following statement on the Court’s ruling:

"The Founding Fathers would have been dumbfounded by the gun lobby's argument that the Second Amendment mandates an America where anybody can carry any gun anywhere. The Maryland High Court agrees that this endangers public safety. This year, as courts around the country consider gun lobby arguments that the Second Amendment deprives states of the authority to keep guns off the streets, we urge them to follow the Maryland Court of Appeals' thoughtful opinion. While responsible Americans can choose to have a gun in their home, the U.S. Constitution does not require that the public be subjected to guns in streets, bars, parks, schools or other public places."

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment protects a right of law-abiding, responsible citizens to have a gun in the home for self-defense, the gun lobby and gun criminals have brought over 300 challenges to gun laws and prosecutions. The courts have rejected virtually every challenge.

###

The Brady Campaign is the nation's largest citizens' lobby to prevent gun violence. We represent the voice of the overwhelming majority of Americans who are tired of living with the constant tragedy of gun violence and are in favor of strong laws and policies that will save lives. We are the light that exposes politicians who are putting the American people at risk, empowering the American people to hold them accountable for decisions and actions that undermine public safety.

We are driven by the focused vision of a nation where all Americans are safe at home, at work, at school, and in our communities.

Dan Gross is the President of the Brady Campaign and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. A photo and more information about Dan Gross is available here.

For more insight on gun violence prevention, follow The Brady Blog, Facebook Page and Twitter Account.

Brady News Releases are available via RSS