Ruling can be found here. A newspaper article from a few weeks ago was written about it here. Much the the analysis here strikes me as weak, particularly the question of whether the Second Amendment protects unlicensed carry outside the home. I believe the question should be whether the Second Amendment protects carrying outside the home, and then next question is, under a chosen standard of review, does the licensing requirement impermissibly burden the exercise of that right. The court gives short service to analysis even under intermediate scrutiny.
I agree with the court’s conclusions in regards to carrying in a courthouse, which I believe the government can legitimately proscribe. I believe Pennsylvania’s statute is set up in a constitutional manner. But I’d like to see courts taking the overall right more seriously.
It might be worth noting that McKown’s (aka Pex) other criminal charges were drug and alcohol related, harassment, and disorderly conduct. His bizarre behavior, drug problems, and arrests are just a black eye for gun owners.
I have to leave this unrelated comment here while I have a chance: For some reason, this web site seems to make my web browser crash – a lot. I use Mozilla Firefox version 3.6.16 now.
Ronnie, you’re not the only one. I have been having the same issue on two different PCs.
A courthouse, at least the ones I have been to, take a positive effort to secure their perimeter. IIRC from other posts the ones in PA offer secure storage for firearms at that perimeter
I would only agree with not being permitted to carry defensive arms in a courthouse if certain conditions were met: secure perimeter, full and complete screening of all personnel, armed and alert guards, and the goverment enity takes full responsibility for any harm that occurs to disarmed citizens. Storage is a plu.
Exactly.The courthouse I’ve been to (as part of my civic duty, mind) met all those parameters (including secure storage, at least for the cops), except possibly for assuming responsibility. They probably don’t, though the county is not a sovereign…
Here in Colorado there has been ONE shooting in a courthouse in the last fifteen years. That was by a police officer, exempt from the carry prohibition, who shot his whfe’s divorce attorney. Given that; why are police exempt?
Unless they work there, they shouldn’t be. I am reasonably sure that’s why the courthouse I was in had a secure storage area, given the NJ laws concerning carry.