The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will decide whether the District of Columbia can ban handguns, a case that could produce the most in-depth examination of the constitutional right to "keep and bear arms" in nearly 70 years.
The justices' decision to hear the case could make the divisive debate over guns an issue in the 2008 presidential and congressional elections.
City officials said the law is designed to reduce *** ********, noting that four out of every five homicides this year was committed with a ***. Opponents of the ban pointed to the level of ******** to make their case that Washington residents should be allowed to have guns to protect themselves in their homes.
