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Supreme Court Rules Against Gun Ownership by Domestic Abusers

HeadlineJun 28, 2016

In another case Monday, the Supreme Court ruled against two men who argued they should be able to buy or own guns even though they had been convicted of domestic violence. Attorneys for the men argued they should be exempt from a federal ban because their acts of violence were committed “recklessly,” not “intentionally.” But the Supreme Court ruled six to two that even “reckless” domestic abuse counts. Justice Sonia Sotomayor joined Justice Clarence Thomas’ dissent over issues with treating reckless acts as violent offenses, but declined to join his defense of the Second Amendment in the case. The ruling comes after the massacre of 49 people in Orlando by Omar Mateen, who had a history of domestic violence. The FBI estimates at least 57 percent of mass shootings in recent years involved a shooter who killed an intimate partner or other family member. Click here to see our interview with writer Soraya Chemaly about the connection between domestic violence and mass shootings.

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