Assault weapons are not protected by Second Amendment, US appeals court rules

Assault weapons are not protected under the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, a federal appeals court has ruled.

The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth circuit ruled 10-4 to uphold Maryland's ban on assault weapons, a law made in response to the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.

"Put simply, we have no power to extend Second Amendment protection to the weapons of war," Judge Robert King wrote, referring to the "military-style rifles" that were also used during mass shootings in Aurora, Colorado, San Bernardino, California, and Orlando, Florida.

These are "places whose names have become synonymous with the slaughters that occurred there," he added, noting the Supreme Court's decision in the 2008 District of Columbia v Heller case excluded coverage of assault weapons.

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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/assault-weapons-second-amendment-not-protected-us-appeals-court-fourth-circuit-richmond-virginia-a7592986.html