Federal Judge Upholds Strict New York Gun Control Law
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A federal judge upheld most of New York's new gun control law Tuesday.
Judge William Skretny rejected arguments that the law's bans on large-capacity magazines and the sale of some semi-automatic rifles violate Second Amendment rights. He said those two features make guns more lethal.
Skretny said he ruled the provisions as constitutional because they're related to achieving an "important governmental interest" in public safety.
"It does not totally disarm New York's citizens, and it does not meaningfully jeopardize their right to self-defense,'' Skretny said of the law.
Skretny did however, strike down the restriction on gun owners loading more than seven bullets in a legal 10-round magazine, saying that appears to be "an arbitrary number."
The gun control law, which is considered to be the strictest in the nation, was adopted last January in response to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
Following its swift passage, thousands converged on the state Capitol to demand a repeal of the law.
The New York affiliate of the National Rifle Association, sportsmen's groups, firearms businesses and gun owners filed the lawsuit, claiming the law was unconstitutional because it prohibits citizens from keeping commonly used firearms for home defense and other lawful purposes.
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