Supreme Court Declines to Challenge Maryland ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban

The Supreme Court also rejected a challenge to Rhode Island’s magazine ban, leaving both laws intact for now, with three justices dissenting.

An AR-15 rifle at FT3 Tactical shooting range in Stanton, Calif., on May 3, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear two high-profile challenges to state gun-control laws—one in Maryland banning semiautomatic rifles such as the AR-15, and another in Rhode Island prohibiting magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

Both denials came in a June 2 orders list that did not provide an explanation for the denials. However, three justices—Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch—dissented, indicating that they would have taken up the cases.