NEW YORK, NY (October 5, 2021) — Today, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced a new federal Second Amendment lawsuit challenging New York City’s ban on electronic arms, such as stun guns and tasers. The lawsuit seeks a judgment declaring the City’s ban unconstitutional, a preliminary or permanent injunction against enforcement of the law, and attorney’s fees and costs. Case documents in Calce v. New York City can be found at FPCLegal.org.
“Stun guns and tasers are bearable arms, and further, they are in common use for the purpose of self-defense,” the complaint states. “Indeed, the Superintendent of the New York State Police stipulated in litigation that hundreds of thousands of tasers and millions of stun guns are owned by private citizens in the United States.”
The complaint details that despite multiple courts finding that similar laws are unconstitutional, the City of New York continues to enforce state and local bans on stun guns and tasers, trains its officers that the devices are illegal, and continues to arrest individuals found to be in possession of them.
“As many courts have properly held, electronic arms are commonly kept and carried for self-defense. Under the Supreme Court’s precedents, New York City’s ban on these common arms is categorically unconstitutional,” said Adam Kraut, FPC’s Senior Director of Legal Operations. “The City may not like the Second Amendment, but it cannot opt-out of the Constitution. FPC looks forward to vindicating the rights of the plaintiffs and our members in this and our dozens of other cases throughout the United States.”
Individuals that are interested in joining FPC in the fight against tyranny can become a member of the FPC Grassroots Army for just $25 at JoinFPC.org.
For more on FPC cases and other legal action initiatives, visit FPCLegal.org and follow FPC on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube. FPC and its FPC Law team are the nation’s next-generation advocates leading the Second Amendment litigation and research space. Some FPC legal actions include:
- A challenge to New York City’s ban on handgun carry (Greco v. New York City)
- A merits-stage Supreme Court brief providing the justices with the English history of the right to bear arms in support of a challenge to New York’s unconstitutional “may issue” scheme
- A challenge to the federal ban on the sale of handguns and handgun ammunition to adults under 21 years of age (Reese v. ATF)
- A challenge to Maryland’s ban on so-called “assault weapons” (Bianchi v. Frosh)
- A challenge to California’s ban on so-called “assault weapons” (Miller v. Bonta) that resulted in a post-trial judgment and permanent injunction against the challenged regulations, the first such victory in United States history
- A challenge to California’s handgun “roster”, microstamping, and self-manufacturing ban laws (Renna v. Bonta)
- A challenge to California’s firearm purchase rationing ban (1-in-30 day limit) (Nguyen v. Bonta)
- A challenge to Minnesota’s ban on handgun carry by adults under 21 (Worth v. Harrington)
- A challenge to Illinois’ ban on handgun carry by adults under 21 (Meyer v. Raoul)
- A challenge to Georgia’s ban on handgun carry by adults under 21 (Baughcum v. Jackson)
- A challenge to Tennessee’s ban on handgun carry by adults under 21 (Basset v. Slatery)
- A challenge to Maryland’s ban on handgun carry (Call v. Jones)
- A challenge to Pennsylvania’s ban on handgun carry by adults under 21 (Lara v. Evanchick)
Firearms Policy Coalition (firearmspolicy.org), a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization, exists to create a world of maximal human liberty, defend constitutional rights, advance individual liberty, and restore freedom. FPC’s efforts are focused on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and adjacent issues including freedom of speech, due process, unlawful searches and seizures, separation of powers, asset forfeitures, privacy, encryption, and limited government. The FPC team are next-generation advocates working to achieve the Organization’s strategic objectives through litigation, research, scholarly publications, amicus briefing, legislative and regulatory action, grassroots activism, education, outreach, and other programs. FPC Law (FPCLaw.org), the nation’s largest public interest legal team focused on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, lead the Second Amendment litigation and research space.