NRA loses ruling on Prop. H gun banby Charlie Goodyear
The National Rifle Association's attempt to win a speedy court victory against a new San Francisco law banning handguns has been rebuffed by an appeals court.
In a ruling issued late Friday, the California Court of Appeals said it will not consider the issue before a trial court has had a chance to consider the NRA's legal challenge to the law, known as Proposition H.
"In rejecting the NRA's petition, the Court of Appeals has apparently recognized that there are legitimate issues involving municipal powers and the will of voters that need to be litigated in the trial court," said Matt Dorsey, a spokesman for City Attorney Dennis Herrera. "If the NRA was expecting a slam dunk in the appellate court, they didn't get it."
NRA officials could not be reached to comment.
Prop. H, which bans handgun possession by city residents other than police officers and those required to have them for professional purposes, is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. It also prohibits the sale, manufacture and distribution of firearms and ammunition within city limits.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/13/BAG6OG754C1.DTL.
