Appeals court blocks California judge’s ruling that assault weapons ban is unconstitutional

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a federal judge’s ruling that California’s ban on assault weapons was unconstitutional.

A three-judge panel issued a stay of U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez’s order on Monday, less than two weeks after the initial ruling.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the court’s decision “leaves our assault weapons laws in effect while appellate proceedings continue,” adding, “We won’t stop defending these life-saving laws.”

On June 4, Benitez ruled against California's ban on certain semi-automatic rifles, which has been in place since 1989. The judge, a President George W. Bush appointee, said AR-15s and other similar firearms are not "extraordinary weapons lying at the outer limits of Second Amendment protection,” comparing an AR-15 to a Swiss Army knife.