In_PRP June_NP0 2008_CRD ,_PUN the_AT0 court_NN1 ,_PUN in_PRP a_AT0 5-4_CRD decision_NN1 in_PRP District_NN1 of_PRF Columbia_NP0 vs._PRP Heller_NP0 ,_PUN took_VVD a_AT0 very_AV0 different_AJ0 approach_NN1 and_CJC said_VVD that_CJT the_AT0 2nd_ORD Amendment_NN1 protected_VVD a_AT0 right_NN1 of_PRF people_NN0 to_TO0 have_VHI guns_NN2 in_PRP their_DPS homes_NN2 for_PRP the_AT0 sake_NN1 of_PRF security_NN1 ._SENT Justice_NP0 Antonin_NP0 Scalia_NP0 wrote_VVD the_AT0 opinion_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 court_NN1 and_CJC declared_VVD unconstitutional_AJ0 a_AT0 1976_CRD ordinance_NN1 in_PRP Washington_NP0 that_CJT prohibited_VVD private_AJ0 ownership_NN1 or_CJC possession_NN1 of_PRF handguns_NN2 ._SENT But_CJC the_AT0 court_NN1 was_VBD clear_AJ0 that_CJT this_DT0 right_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX0 absolute_AJ0 and_CJC the_AT0 government_NN1 can_VM0 regulate_VVI who_PNQ has_VHZ guns_NN2 ,_PUN where_CJS they_PNP have_VHB them_PNP and_CJC what_DTQ type_NN1 of_PRF weapons_NN2 are_VBB allowed_VVN ._SENT In_PRP fact_NN1 ,_PUN Justice_NP0 Scalia_NP0 's_POS opinion_NN1 stated_VVD that_CJT the_AT0 right_NN1 to_TO0 possess_VVI arms_NN2 was_VBD limited_VVN to_PRP weapons_NN2 that_CJT "_PUQ were_VBD in_PRP common_AJ0 use_NN1 at_PRP the_AT0 time_NN1 "_PUQ the_AT0 2nd_ORD Amendment_NN1 was_VBD ratified_VVN ._SENT He_PNP said_VVD this_DT0 "_PUQ limitation_NN1 is_VBZ fairly_AV0 supported_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 historical_AJ0 tradition_NN1 of_PRF prohibiting_VVG the_AT0 carrying_NN1 of_PRF '_PUQ dangerous_AJ0 and_CJC unusual_AJ0 weapons_NN2 ._SENT '_PUQ "_PUQ No_ITJ one_PNI can_VM0 argue_VVI that_CJT AR-15_AJ0 style_NN1 weapons_NN2 existed_VVD ,_PUN let_VVB alone_AV0 were_VBD in_PRP common_AJ0 use_NN1 ,_PUN in_PRP 1791._CRD Nor_CJC can_VM0 it_PNP be_VBI denied_VVN that_CJT they_PNP are_VBB very_AV0 dangerous_AJ0 weapons_NN2 ._SENT This_DT0 type_NN1 of_PRF semi-automatic_AJ0 weapon_NN1 has_VHZ been_VBN used_VVN in_PRP many_DT0 of_PRF the_AT0 worst_AJS mass_AJ0 shootings_NN2 in_PRP the_AT0 United_NP0 States_NP0 ,_PUN including_PRP the_AT0 2012_CRD Sandy_NP0 Hook_NP0 Elementary_AJ0 School_NN1 shooting_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 2015_CRD San_NP0 Bernardino_NP0 attack_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 2017_CRD Las_NP0 Vegas_NP0 shooting_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 2017_CRD Sutherland_NP0 Springs_NN2 church_NN1 shooting_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 2018_CRD Stoneman_NP0 Douglas_NP0 High_AJ0 School_NN1 shooting_NN1 and_CJC the_AT0 shooting_NN1 at_PRP a_AT0 Colorado_NP0 grocery_NN1 store_NN1 in_PRP March_NP0 that_CJT killed_VVD 10_CRD people_NN0 ._SENT Judge_NP0 Benitez_NP0 argued_VVD that_CJT the_AT0 2nd_ORD Amendment_NN1 protects_VVZ a_AT0 "_PUQ muscular_AJ0 "_PUQ constitutional_AJ0 right_NN1 and_CJC the_AT0 California_NP0 ban_NN1 is_VBZ "_PUQ about_PRP average_AJ0 guns_NN2 used_VVN in_PRP average_AJ0 ways_NN2 for_PRP average_AJ0 purposes_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ He_PNP added_VVD ,_PUN "_PUQ In_PRP California_NP0 ,_PUN murder_NN1 by_PRP knife_NN1 occurs_VVZ seven_CRD times_NN2 more_AV0 often_AV0 than_CJS murder_NN1 by_PRP rifle_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ This_DT0 attempt_NN1 to_TO0 minimize_VVI the_AT0 danger_NN1 of_PRF assault_NN1 weapons_NN2 fails_VVZ to_TO0 recognize_VVI that_CJT they_PNP are_VBB banned_VVN by_PRP California_NP0 and_CJC other_AJ0 states_NN2 (_PUL and_CJC for_PRP a_AT0 time_NN1 by_PRP the_AT0 federal_AJ0 government_NN1 )_PUR because_CJS of_PRF their_DPS ability_NN1 to_TO0 kill_VVI a_AT0 large_AJ0 number_NN1 of_PRF people_NN0 in_PRP a_AT0 short_AJ0 amount_NN1 of_PRF time_NN1 ._SENT Judge_NP0 Benitez_NP0 described_VVD California_NP0 's_POS law_NN1 as_PRP a_AT0 "_PUQ failed_AJ0 experiment_NN1 "_PUQ because_CJS there_EX0 have_VHB been_VBN mass_AJ0 killings_NN2 with_PRP assault_NN1 weapons_NN2 since_PRP its_DPS enactment_NN1 in_PRP 1989._CRD But_CJC by_PRP that_DT0 analysis_NN1 ,_PUN every_AT0 criminal_AJ0 law_NN1 would_VM0 be_VBI a_AT0 failed_AJ0 experiment_NN1 because_CJS they_PNP are_VBB repeatedly_AV0 violated_VVN ._SENT This_DT0 argument_NN1 makes_VVZ no_AT0 sense_NN1 because_CJS there_EX0 is_VBZ no_AT0 way_NN1 to_TO0 know_VVI how_AVQ many_DT0 more_DT0 mass_AJ0 shootings_NN2 would_VM0 have_VHI occurred_VVN without_PRP California_NP0 's_POS ban_NN1 ._SENT Clearly_AV0 ,_PUN the_AT0 United_NP0 States_NP0 Court_NN1 of_PRF Appeals_NN2 for_PRP the_AT0 9th_ORD Circuit_NN1 should_VM0 reverse_VVI this_DT0 ruling_NN1 and_CJC allow_VVB the_AT0 assault_NN1 weapons_NN2 ban_VVB to_TO0 stand_VVI ._SENT 
