Maryland firearm ban upheld by lower bench; gun rights groups petition Supreme Court for ruling.

Two prominent Second Amendment organizations urged the Supreme Court to take up a case challenging Maryland's strict "Assault Weapons Ban of 2013," following a lower court's decision that the ban was constitutional.

The Firearms Policy Coalition submitted a petition to the Supreme Court to hear the case of Snope v. Brown, which was upheld by the Fourth Circuit in a 10-5 decision earlier this month.

The Old Line State's ban on certain semi-automatic rifles and pistols, as ruled by Reagan-appointed Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, is in line with our nation's tradition of firearms regulation. In 2021, two residents from Baltimore County, Md., and one from Anne Arundel County filed a lawsuit against Maryland.

The FPC and SAF submitted petitions to the Supreme Court, requesting a ruling that would replace the Fourth Circuit's decision.

Alan Gottlieb, founder of SAF, stated that the appeals bench is attempting to reverse the landmark "Heller" decision, which struck down the District of Columbia's gun ban.

According to Gottlieb, the Second Amendment protects only state-approved firearms, making it a government-regulated privilege rather than an individual right.

Gottlieb stated that this is the third time they have petitioned the high court in this case.

In a separate release, FPC President Brandon Combs stated that the case is an "ideal vehicle for the Supreme Court to resolve exceptionally important issues."

AR-15s and other similar arms, although prohibited in Maryland, are still widely owned.

The Fourth Circuit's conclusion that semiautomatic rifles, which are widely owned in the US, are not protected by the Second Amendment is not supported by a legitimate basis, he stated.

The Bruen decision, which overturned New York's open-carry ban, has prompted proponents to call for more guidance from the Court on which weapons are covered by the Second Amendment. They argue that the current gun control regime is immoral and abusive and should end.

According to Maryland Matters, in his majority decision, Wilkinson stated that the AR-15 and Barrett .50 cal, as well as "gangster-style" guns, are not protected by the Constitution due to their "excessively dangerous" nature.

He enumerated numerous mass shootings that occurred in cities such as Blacksburg, Va., Las Vegas, Nev., Parkland, Fla., Thousand Oaks, Calif., and approximately a dozen others.

Judge Richardson, appointed by Trump, argued that the Second Amendment is not a right that can be subjected to the discretion of federal judges.

The lawsuit, which initially targeted Brown's Democratic predecessor Brian Frosh, now has Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, a Democrat, as the named defendant. Brown's office refused to provide any comment on the legal filings.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who led the ban on assault weapons while in the state Senate, was also contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital.

The legislation was sponsored by the Takoma Park lawmaker, who was joined by the state senator from Potomac as a co-sponsor.

The law prohibits the sale, transfer, or purchase of "certain firearms" designated as "assault weapons," and established an Annapolis board to maintain a list of prohibited weapons.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore was contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for comment but did not respond before the deadline.