Jon Street
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is upholding the broad
reach of a federal law that bans people convicted of domestic
violence from owning guns.
The justices on Monday rejected arguments that the law covers
only intentional acts of abuse and not those committed in the
heat of an argument.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
The case involved two Maine men who said their guilty pleas
for hitting their partners should not disqualify them from gun
ownership.
The dispute drew interest from advocates for victims of
domestic abuse who say the law applies to reckless behavior as
well as intentional misconduct.
Gun rights groups argued that the men should not lose their
constitutional right to bear arms because of misdemeanor abuse
convictions.
A federal appeals court ruled against the men.