State sued over open carry law

SACRAMENTO - A federal civil rights lawsuit is seeking to overturn the state's ban on openly carried loaded firearms in public.The suit names Gov. Jerry Brown, attorney general Kamala Harris, the city of Redondo Beach, its police department and police chief as defendants. In 1967, the California Legislature made it a crime to openly carry a loaded firearm in most places in California. This year, Brown signed AB 144 into law, which makes it a crime beginning Jan. 1 to openly carry unloaded handgun as well. Only unloaded rifles and shotguns can be openly carried after the new year. The lawsuit was filed by the California Right To Carry, a group that has called the restrictions unconstitutional.

********** Published: December 8, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 34