Judge nixes challenge to state’s ban on copycat assault weapons

A federal judge yesterday dismissed the Gun Owners’ Action League’s challenge to the state’s copycat assault weapons ban, providing a big win for Attorney General Maura Healey, who targeted the weapons after the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., and drawing immediate criticism from the NRA.

U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young in Boston upheld the state ban, stating the Second Amendment does not cover copycats of assault-style weapons, such as the Colt AR-15, or large capacity magazines, which were also regulated in the ban.

“The AR-15 and its analogs, along with large capacity magazines, are simply not weapons within the original meaning of the individual constitutional right to bear arms,” Young wrote in his decision. “Both their general acceptance and their regulation, if any, are policy matters not for the courts, but left to the people directly through their elected representatives. In the absence of federal legislation, Massachusetts is free to ban these weapons and large capacity magazines.”

Healey said Young’s ruling “vindicates the right of the people of Massachusetts to protect themselves from these weapons of war and my office’s efforts to enforce the law.”

“Strong gun laws save lives, and we will not be intimidated by the gun lobby in our efforts to end the sale of assault weapons and protect our communities and schools. Families across the country should take heart in this victory,” Healey said in a statement.

The NRA said it “was extremely disappointed” in the decision. “As long as politicians and judicial officials continue to flout the law in order to advance a political agenda, the five million members of the NRA will be here to hold them accountable,” the organization said.

The Gun Owners’ Action League of Massachusetts blasted the federal ruling as a “dangerous precedent.”

“We have two main concerns here,” said GOAL Executive Director Jim Wallace in a statement. “First, it’s not just the gun issue, but more of a big picture issue. We hope that everyone is concerned by this judge blatantly giving an Attorney General unbridled authority to interpret any law, in any way they want.”

The group says it is consulting with its legal team and will announce plans moving forward soon.