Supreme Court strikes down D.C. handgun ban - USATODAY.com

The Supreme Court has struck down Washington's gun ban. Here, a collection of guns confiscated by Washington's local police department is seen. Dick Anthony Heller, an armed security guard, sued the District of Columbia after it rejected his application to keep a handgun at his home for protection. On Thursday, the Supreme Court threw out the district's ban on handguns. WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court ruled for the first time Thursday that the Constitution protects an individual right to own guns, in a 5-4 decision that is likely to reverberate nationwide and spawn wide controversy over firearms control. The momentous decision striking down a Washington, D.C., handgun ban came on the last day of the 2007-2008 term. From the bench, Justice Antonin Scalia declared for the majority that the Second Amendment provides an... [read full story]