Soon after the U.S. Supreme Court declared Chicago's handgun ban unconstitutional, the city passed a new gun ordinance banning gun shops within the city limits, as reported by the Chicago Tribune and elsewhere. But while legal observers debate over whether the new law will survive legal scrutiny, Chicago continues to suffer from gun-related violence.
Two people were killed and at least 19 were injured due to violence, mostly from gunshots, just this past weekend, the Chicago Tribune reported. Eight of the injuries occurred from Saturday evening through early Sunday morning.
It's not clear exactly how the perpetrators of gun violence obtain their weapons, given the long history of Chicago's now-defunct handgun ban. But Chicago criminal defense attorneys, at least those defending alleged shooters, probably know more than they're permitted to say.
In fact one of the main arguments against Chicago's efforts at limiting the availability of handguns, which are responsible for a large portion of the city's gang-related deaths, is that gun-related incidents actually increased while the earlier law was in place. Still, there is no evidence that shows a direct causal relationship between the ban and the increased violence.
The now-overturned ordinance banned private ownership of handguns.
The new law, which constitutional attorneys believe will spark a new round of legal challenges, bans gun sales within the city; limits gun permit holders to just one "ready-to-fire" gun per home; and bans guns in garages, porches and yards.
Already there are lawsuits challenging the new gun ordinance, which Northwestern University Law School professor Eugene Kontorovich believes will limit its scope:
"Chicago is in for a long legal challenge. Clearly, parts of the ordinance will be struck down, but it is hard to predict how quickly that will happen."
Related Resources:
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Chicago Moves Forward with New Gun Ban (FindLaw's Blotter Blog)
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New Louisiana Law Oks Concealed Guns in Church (FindLaw's Law & Daily Life Blog)
