The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday issued a stay of Judge Roger T. Benitez's decision to overturn California's ban on assault weapons.
On June 4, Benitez declared that the state's 30-year ban on assault weapons was unconstitutional and "has had no effect" on stopping mass shootings. He also compared the AR-15 semiautomatic rifle to a Swiss Army knife, calling it "good for both home and battle." His decision was quickly condemned by state officials, victims of gun violence, and gun control advocates. Benitez, who was nominated by former President George W. Bush, gave the state 30 days to appeal.
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