Posted on 09/27/2008 8:00:56 AM PDT by Pharmboy
PHILADELPHIA — A state court ruled Friday that Philadelphia was not entitled to set its own gun laws, invalidating five measures passed by the City Council last year and striking a blow against the city’s efforts to strengthen gun control.
The Commonwealth Court dismissed a petition by two City Council members, Darrell L. Clarke and Donna Reed Miller, who filed suit last year arguing that the state’s Uniform Firearms Act did not pre-empt Philadelphia’s gun laws.
The two council members had also argued that the state legislature had created a “state of danger” for Philadelphia residents by their continued refusal to pass measures sought by gun-control advocates.
“While we understand the terrible problems gun violence poses for the city and sympathize with its efforts to use its police powers to create a safe environment for its citizens,” the five-judge panel wrote in a 21-page opinion, “these practical considerations do not alter the clear pre-emption imposed by the legislature.” The decision was by a vote of 4 to 1.
Philadelphia, which has one of the highest homicide rates in the country, has been fighting for years for the right to set stricter gun laws than those on the state’s books.
More than 200 people have been killed in the city this year, most of them with guns. The death toll was 392 in 2007 and 406 in 2006.
The measures voided by the court included a ban on assault weapons and a limitation of handgun purchases to one per person per month. Proposals containing similar restrictions were defeated by state legislators last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Same slobbering anti-gun crap I’ve read from the media for forty years.
Mr Nutter needs to deal with the laws already in place.
He also should not be wasting his time or ours by spewing rhetoric in this time. He should be looking into why a criminal with many violations during his jailtime, was given parole as was the case in the latest cop killing.
He should be working on keeping the criminals that are already shown to be a threat to the public....OFF the streets.
If Mr Nutter had looked at the failures in his own criminal system, at least one police officer would still be alive.
Having more gun laws would not solve his problem. Detaining those who have repeatedly broken the law would be a good place to start.
"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
No big deal. President Hussein and Pelosi will change the federal laws to allow big cities to impose their community values on the 2nd Amendement.
“a safe environment for its citizens”
I’m not sure how disarming people is making them safer. Only a stupid liberal could think such a thing.
When are these idiots ever going to get it through their thich heads that guns, just like any other inanimate object, cannot do anything!
Blaming guns for crime is like blaming carpenter's hammers for shoddy construction jobs!
So when are Chitcago & Daley going to get smacked down with the same?
At least somebody’s making progress.
Saves patriots the trouble of ignoring them.
F* "permission" to engage in a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Piss on the socialists attempting to disarm citizens.
Once and for all, we knuckledragging conservatives must try to understand the compassionate minions of the left. These are simply superior people trying to implement the rules necessary to guide we underlings through our pathetic, unimportant little lives. And yet, like true mouthbreathers, we flyover-country louts continue to impede the selfless efforts of our betters. Is it any wonder the Barney Franks of the world should lose patience with the rabble?
This is oviously, a win for the constitution. Good to hear.
“The two council members had also argued that the state legislature had created a “state of danger” for Philadelphia residents by their continued refusal to pass measures sought by gun-control advocates.”
The paper of record can’t get the noun and verb tense correct. What else could be in error? The answer is everything in the article, because it isn’t objective.
I believe legal action in Chicago has already been filed...by part of the same team that brought the DC aftion that wound up with The Supremes.
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