Gun advocate lawyer John Parker Sweeney argued before Federal Judge Catherine Blake that the Maryland General Assembly didn't consider an alternative to a ban nor taylor the law to make it narrow and less harmful.
He said legislators did not have evidence indicating there was a problem to justify the ban. And he used a deposition from the author of a universally accepted firearms study to make the point that neither the 10-year federal ban on these weapons nor Maryland's prohibition reduced crime.
Sen. Brian Frosh led the floor fight on Maryland's sweeping gun control legislation.
"Essentially, the plaintiff’s argument here is, 'Who are you going to believe: Me or your own eyes?' Look at Columbine, look at the attack on Gabriel Giffords, Aurora. Look at Newtown -- 20 kids and six teachers slaughtered by assault weapons with high-capacity magazines and their argument is: Banning it doesn't make any difference," Frosh said.
State lawyers led by Matthew Fader told the judge the General Assembly acted reasonably within its powers to focus on the types of firearms used disproportionately in crimes.
