Ruling That Compared AR-15s to Knives Is Blocked

Appeals court issues stay temporarily blocking judge's ruling in California
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 22, 2021 2:02 AM CDT
California Ruling That Compared Assault Weapons to Swiss Army Knives Blocked
In this Dec. 27, 2012, file photo are some of the weapons that include handguns, rifles, shotguns and assault weapons, collected in a Los Angeles Gun Buyback event displayed during a news conference at the LAPD headquarters in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

A controversial ruling overturning California's assault weapons ban has now been blocked. The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday issued a stay of the order that was issued earlier this month, CNN reports. In issuing his order overturning the three-decades-old ban, US District Judge Roger Benitez had compared the AR-15 to a Swiss army knife, saying that like the knife, the assault rifle is "a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment."

California's attorney general then appealed his ruling, which Gov. Gavin Newsom had called a slap in the face to those whose loved ones have been killed by the military-style weapons. The AG, Rob Bonta, says on Twitter that the appeals court ruling "leaves our assault weapons laws in effect while appellate proceedings continue." Both parties are to file a status update within two weeks. Per the Los Angeles Times, the stay is also pending decisions in other cases currently before the court that relate to guns. (More California stories.)

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