Judge: NY Ban on Guns in Places of Worship Unconstitutional

A federal judge this week ruled that New York's ban on firearms inside places of worship is unconstitutional, though the ruling is on hold while the state appeals, Gothamist reports.

Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. of the Western District of New York ruled on Thursday that the law against concealed carrying guns inside places of worship violated the Second Amendment. The ruling follows a previous ruling challenging the state's Concealed Carry Improvement Act, but both rulings are on hold until the appeals process is completed.

Pastor Michael Spencer filed a lawsuit along with his congregation in western New York arguing that he and some of his parishioners wanted to carry firearms while in church following death threats and incidents of violence at other places of worship throughout the country in recent years.

"No other state in the Union has taken the radical step of completely disarming houses of worship and stripping them of their right to decide who may carry firearms on their premises," the suit argues.

The New York attorney general's office did not respond to a request for comment about the case when contacted by Gothamist, but the state attorney general, Letitia James, previously said that she will "defend the constitutionality of our laws to protect all New Yorkers."

She said in a statement: "Responsible gun control measures save lives and any attempts by the gun lobby to tear down New York's sensible gun control laws will be met with fierce defense of the law."

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