SCOTUS Declines To Take Up Weapons Case

(USNewsBreak.com) – The Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre took the country by surprise in 2012. The deaths of 20 young children and six adults elicited outrage that sparked several states, including Maryland, to enact gun control measures. Since then, gun rights groups have tried — with little success — to overturn the Old Line State’s rifle ban. The Supreme Court also recently declined to hear arguments on the issue — for now.

On Monday, May 20, the SCOTUS declined to take up a challenge to a Maryland law that bans assault weapons. After the Sandy Hook shooting, the state legislature passed a bill that made it a crime to sell, transfer, possess, or purchase what’s known as an “assault long gun.” The law defined 45 specific weapons and prohibited extended gun magazines containing more than 10 rounds.

Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to Maryland ban on rifles known as assault weapons https://t.co/MZ2NjPAOv1

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 20, 2024

Challengers to the law, which included several gun rights organizations, said it violated the Second Amendment and cited the Bruen decision, a landmark decision issued by the majority conservative Supreme Court, which expanded gun rights. The state mandated the ban as necessary because of the number of mass shootings carried out using assault weapons and noted that they’re “highly dangerous, military-style” firearms.

The case is currently before an appeals court, which Maryland argued should issue a decision before bringing the case before the nation’s highest court. The SCOTUS didn’t give a reason for rejecting the case, but that’s typical for the Court. The plaintiffs had escalated the matter, claiming the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals was taking too long to address the challenge.

Maryland is one of 10 states with similar laws on the books. The District of Columbia also has an assault weapons ban in place.

Despite the High Court’s decision not to take up the cause at this time, the challengers may still have options. Gun rights activists have brought a similar law in Illinois before the Supreme Court, though the SCOTUS didn’t take any action on that case on Monday.