By Stephen Dinan | The Washington Times
The Supreme Court said Tuesday it was declining, for now, to hear challenges against an Illinois ban on assault weapons — cases that have quickly turned into a major test of the legality of the popular AR-15 rifle.
Justice Clarence Thomas indicated that his colleagues thought the cases weren’t yet ripe for the high court and needed more development before lower judges.
But he said the issue will have to be dealt with as the justices continue to figure out the extent of the Second Amendment and to what, whom, where and when it applies.
“We have never squarely addressed what types of weapons are ‘Arms’ protected by the Second Amendment,” Justice Thomas wrote in a statement about the refusal.