Sunday, April 14, 2013

Disabled Americans Suing CT For Infringement On 2nd Amendment And Ability Of Handicapped Shooters

By Susan Duclos

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy is being sued by Disabled Americans for Firearms Rights, for violating the CT constitution and discrimination against handicapped individuals, when Malloy signed Connecticut's new gun laws.

In the lawsuit, which will be embedded below the post, Disabled Americans for Firearms Rights, asks the court to:

"Enter a declaratory judgement that the Act Concerning Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety, in whole or in part, violates the plaintiffs' right to keep and bear arms, not be denied the equal protection of the laws, and to be free of discrimination based on physical disability," in violation of the Connecticut constitution.

They also ask the court to "issue a temporary restraining order and permanent injunctions agaisnt implementation and enforcement of the Act."

Stamford Advocate reports:

Scott Ennis, a 40-year-old hemophiliac, said during an afternoon interview that the state's expansion of the ban on military-style weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines that took effect last week will make it much harder on handicapped shooters to enjoy their sport.

"Connecticut has not only banned the AR-15 platform, but they have also come up with arbitrary assault weapon characteristics that, by banning those too, it bans the same characteristics that the disabled person needs in order to use firearms," Ennis said.

Ennis heads the nearly year-old Disabled Americans for Firearms Rights LLC, which was originally formed to expand the access to shooting sports for the disabled. But after last week's bill in the General Assembly was signed into law, the group made the transition to legal plaintiff. The lawsuit is in the process of being filed in state Superior Court; Attorney General George Jepsen's office will get the case.

The National Rifle Association, the Connecticut Citizens Defense League and the Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen are in the process of raising funds from gun shops, clubs and individuals to help pay for a legal team to challenge Connecticut's new gun laws in court.

See- NRA News, via video, interviews  Mr. Ennis.

Relevant Links

Disabled Americans for Firearms Rights - Connecticut Legal Fund

Disabled Americans for Firearms Rights website

Disabled mericans for Firearms Rights Twitter

Disabled Americans for Firearms Rights Facebook

Civil Lawsuit PDF- 8 pages, embedded below: