The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday issued a stay on a judge’s decision that overturned California’s ban on assault weapons.
The stay continues the state’s 32-year ban on assault rifles until a final decision is rendered. On June 4, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego ruled that the state’s law regulating assault weapons is unconstitutional.
In his 94-page ruling, the judge spoke favorably of modern weapons and said they were overwhelmingly used for legal reasons.
“Like the Swiss Army knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment. Good for both home and battle," the judge said in his ruling's introduction.
State Atty. Rob Bonta filed an appeal with the 9th Circuit less than week later. In a tweet, he praised the appellate court’s decision to stay Benitez’s decision.
“This leaves our assault weapons laws in effect while appellate proceedings continue. We won't stop defending these life-saving laws,” Bonta tweeted.