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Live news: US Supreme Court upholds gun ban barring possession by domestic abusers
The US Supreme Court has upheld restrictions on the use of firearms by individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders, in a closely watched case that has weighed in on the balance between gun rights and public safety.
In an 8-1 decision, the high court’s majority on Friday argued that barring individuals who threaten others’ safety from keeping firearms does not violate the US constitution’s Second Amendment, which protects the right to bear arms.
“Since the founding, our Nation’s firearm laws have included provisions preventing individuals who threaten physical harm to others from misusing firearms,” John Roberts, the court’s chief justice, wrote in the majority opinion.
The ruling stems from a case involving an individual who was indicted for possessing a firearm while subject to a domestic violence restraining order, in violation of US federal law.