Strict Gun Laws Upheld in Washington D.C.

Because criminals clearly abide by harsh gun laws...

An appeals court on Tuesday upheld a District of Columbia law that bans semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines in Washington, finding that the restrictions were constitutional.

The ruling upheld a lower court decision that found the ban did not implicate the core rights under the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment that permits individuals to possess firearms.

The U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 in favor of the city's ban.

"The District has carried its burden of showing a substantial relationship between the prohibition of both semi-automatic rifles and magazines holding more than ten rounds and the objectives of protecting police officers and controlling crime," said the majority opinion.