Per the State of Maryland: “Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a coalition of 19 Attorneys General in support of the District of Columbia’s efforts to restrict the capacity of firearms magazines within its borders. The coalition filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, arguing that D.C.’s law that prohibits possession and sale of largecapacity magazines comports with the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution because these magazines are not commonly used for self-defense.
“Large-capacity magazines can cause mass casualties within a matter of seconds and must be restricted to ensure the safety of our communities,” said Attorney General Brown. “Those restrictions are constitutionally sound and should be upheld to combat rising and more extreme gun violence.” The case, Hanson v. District of Columbia, concerns the constitutionality of a D.C. law that allows for possession and sale of firearms magazines that accept up to 10 rounds of ammunition, but prohibits larger capacity magazines. The case was brought by plaintiffs who claimed that the law violates their Second Amendment rights. A U.S. District Court concluded that the plaintiffs are unlikely to succeed on the merits of that claim, and, therefore, allowed the law to remain in effect while the case proceeds. The plaintiffs then appealed the decision to a higher court.
