By Ed Somers
March 24, 2008

“The District of Columbia has a strong interest in keeping its residents safe from gun violence,” said District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty as the historic District of Columbia v. Heller case went before the Supreme Court on March 18.

“I’m confident that the Justices will preserve that interest and allow us to continue regulating handguns,” Fenty added.

While the case centers on the District’s strict handgun ban, the ruling by the Supreme Court could have a major impact on both federal and local gun safety laws all over the country depending on its breadth.

The United States Conference of Mayors has filed a brief in the case along with the Legal Community Against Violence and the cities of Baltimore, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York City, Oakland, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle, and Trenton.

The brief argues that, “Gun violence poses a serious threat to American cities. In roughly the last thirty years, the United States Department of Justice reports that there were over 340,000 homicides in large American cities. Over sixty percent of the nation’s homicides during that period were committed using a gun. In addition, law enforcement personnel are disproportionately the victims of gun violence: while about 64 percent of homicides nationally involved guns, over 90 percent of officers killed in the line of duty were killed by guns. In addition to this terrible human toll, communities such as amici cities face massive economic costs and losses due to the fear and danger associated with gun violence.”

The brief further argues that, “Firearms regulation is a critical part of cities’ efforts to protect the health and safety of their residents. Cities have adopted a wide range of measures—from bans on certain types of weapons and ammunition to eligibility and registration requirements—to reduce the threat of gun violence in their communities. The range of measures cities have adopted reflects the variety of challenges cities face and underscores the need for local flexibility in this area.”

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case before it adjourns in late June.