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CA: Ninth Circuit Overturns Murder Conviction after Judge Removes Juror Pressured to Change Her Vote
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Carter initially declined to excuse her and allowed deliberations to resume. However, the foreperson later submitted another note reporting that the juror had expressed thoughts of self-harm.

After further questioning, Carter excused the juror, offered access to confidential counseling services and replaced her with an alternate.

The alternate joined the reconstituted jury, which returned guilty verdicts on all three counts in less than a day.

The appeals court acknowledged that the jurors mental health had deteriorated to the point that she could no longer continue serving.

FL: Attempted murder charge dropped in Clay shootout during child exchange Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
Prosecutors have opted not to file attempted murder and child abuse charges against a Jacksonville man who engaged in a shootout with his girlfriend's estranged husband during a planned child custody exchange on Sept 18, in Oakleaf Plantation.

The FBI had 10mm version of classic submachine gun
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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The Heckler and Koch MP5 is arguably one of the best submachine guns ever made, however, the FBI asked for a version with more punch, leading to a version that picked up some visibility due to a Monday post on social media.

The firearm recently resurfaced on social media, with some MP5/10s used by police in Alaska becoming the subject of a social media post by Mrgunsandgear, an influencer. Self-defense attorney Andrew Branca described his experience shooting an FBI MP5/10 as great fun in a comment.

Switchblade Ban Violates Second Amendment, Fifth Circuit Holds
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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From Knife Rights, Inc. v. Blanche, decided yesterday by Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod, joined by Judges Don Willett and Cory Wilson:

This case presents a Second Amendment challenge to the Federal Switchblade Act (FSA)'s restrictions on switchblade knives. {Section 2 of the FSA, codified as 15 U.S.C. § 1242, place[s] a fine of up to "$2,000 or imprison[ment] not more than five years, or both" for anyone who "knowingly introduces, or manufactures for introduction, into interstate commerce, or transports or distributes in interstate commerce, any switchblade knife."}

MA: Parents of child attacked in bus to SICS claims daughter was acting in self defense
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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The parents said they showed prior threats to school officials and that they had been in contact with the school during the weeks leading up to the confrontation, I feel like the school failed her because we went to them crying for help about the students making threats to my child.

The parents also said they kept their daughter home for three days and the fight broke out on the day she returned. The parents said the school had a plan to keep the students away from each other, but said that she was attacked on the bus, my daughters screaming and shes holding my daughters hair and punching her in her head while my daughters on the floor and the other girls on top.

MI: Prosecutors won't charge Dearborn woman who shot man inside shoe store
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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A man was shot inside a Dearborn business over the weekend, and police took the suspected shooter into custody but the case has since taken an unexpected turn.

Three days after the shooting, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said it will not charge the woman who fired the shots, saying there is not enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she was not acting in self-defense or in defense of someone else.

OH: Ohio's gun laws become a dividing line in 2026 races Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
Ohio stands at a critical crossroads. Every legal protection we have fought so hard to secure over the years − from constitutional carry to removing the duty to retreat when facing a violent threat − is on the line this election.

NH: Jury acquits Alton man in Alton Bay ice-fishing shooting case
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A Belknap County jury returned a not guilty verdict on Tuesday in the trial of an Alton man accused of shooting into another mans vehicle during an ice-fishing dispute.

Jurors took all of 34 minutes to find Christopher Johnson, 53, not guilty in the February 2025 altercation with Karl Ingoldsby while ice fishing on Alton Bay. Johnson had been charged with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, a felony.

TX: GrabAGun Statement on ATF Guidance
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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GrabAGun Digital Holdings Inc. (GrabAGun or the Company) (NYSE:PEW) unapologetically supports the Second Amendment and applauds the Texas federal courts decision in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF and ATFs October 9, 2026 guidance. These are decisive victories for law-abiding Americans civil rights. The guidance ends federal enforcement of NFA registration and prior-approval requirements for suppressors, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and other covered untaxed firearms. We thank President Trump for making this relief possible. We also thank ATF, Director Robert Cekada, Chief Counsel Robert Leider, and all of the agencys hard-working staff.

NM: New Mexico 7-day gun purchase waiting period faces new legal challenge
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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The Second Amendment Foundation has filed a new lawsuit challenging New Mexicos seven-day waiting period for gun purchases.

The challenge comes after a federal district court ruled in 2024 that the law violated the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The latest lawsuit claims New Mexico still enforces the waiting period despite that federal ruling.

The lawsuit asks for an order declaring the state law unconstitutional again and says anyone who passes a federal background check should have immediate access to firearms.

Women for Gun Rights Announces Inaugural 2026 Award Recipients at National Summit Gala
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Women for Gun Rights (WGR) proudly announces the recipients of its inaugural annual awards, presented during the organization's 2026 National Summit Gala on September 12 in Washington, D.C.

The awards recognize individuals and businesses whose extraordinary dedication, leadership, and advocacy exemplify the mission of Women for Gun Rights. From grassroots volunteers and business partners to elected officials and courageous survivors, each honoree represents a unique and important contribution to the preservation of Second Amendment freedoms.

Millions of Americans Are Becoming First-Time Gun Owners And the Second Amendment Is Stronger for It
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Millions of Americans are making a decision that politicians, gun-control organizations, and much of the national media cannot ignore.

Theyre becoming gun owners.

An October 12 report from The Truth About Guns highlighted estimates that more than 21 million Americans purchased their first firearms between 2019 and 2024.

But industry figures point to an even larger shift.

According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), approximately 26.2 million Americans purchased their first firearms between 2020 and the end of 2024 alone.

SAF, NRA File Amicus Challenging Lifetime Firearms Ban For Nonviolent Felons
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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The Second Amendment Foundation and National Rifle Association have filed an amicus brief in United States v. Cordova, urging the Fifth Circuit to adopt a dangerousness standard to challenges of lifetime federal firearms bans.

The case returns to the Fifth Circuit after the court granted rehearing en banc and vacated the panel opinion. The brief filed today urges the court to hold that historical tradition supports disarming only dangerous persons those with a proven proclivity for violence or who pose a threat to the government not every person convicted of a felony.

NY: Federal Court Strikes Down New York Body Armor Ban in Historic Second Amendment Victory for FPC
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today a historic victory in Heeter v. James, securing the first known federal Second Amendment judgment striking down a general ban on the purchase of defensive body armor. In a sweeping 47-page decision, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York held that body armor is an "Arm" protected by the Second Amendment, granted FPC summary judgment, and permanently enjoined New York's unconstitutional restrictions on purchasing and selling protective armor.

U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. rejected New York's attempt to deny peaceable people the right to purchase protective equipment intended to stop bullets and save lives.

WI: Van Orden discusses Second Amendment, fuel prices
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Rep. Derrick Van Orden joined the Wisconsin Firearms Owners Association to discuss the Second Amendment. He also addressed rising fuel prices ahead of the busy holiday travel season.

They are coming down now. They are. And President Trump waived the diesel requirement for off-road diesel, so everyone can get off-road diesel now, which is much less expensive. Its about 22 cents a gallon less, Van Orden said.

According to AAA, the average price of regular gasoline in Wisconsin is $4.16 per gallon, while diesel is averaging $6.18 per gallon as of October 21st.

OH: Rep. Deeter Reaffirms Support for Freedom to Carry Act
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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State Representative Kellie Deeter (R-Norwalk) today released a statement reaffirming her strong support for the Second Amendment and House Bill 495, the Freedom to Carry Act, urging the Ohio House to move the legislation forward when lawmakers return:

I fully support the Freedom to Carry Act and am proud to be a cosponsor. My vote to table was a procedural vote and does not change my support for this legislation or the Second Amendment. Ohioans deserve a clear answer: I support this measure, I support its passage, and I stand firmly behind the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.

NY: Federal judge strikes down NY ban on bullet-proof vests, citing 2nd amendment
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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A federal judge in Buffalo ruled Wednesday that New York states ban on purchasing bullet-proof vests and other types of body armor was unconstitutional.

The ban violates the protections to keep and bear arms afforded by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, U.S. District Judge John Sinatra Jr. wrote.

Ordinary citizens at the founding understood the term arms to include defensive body armor, Sinatra said in a 47-page opinion. Accordingly, the body armor ban expressly regulates conduct protected by the plain text of the Second Amendment.

OH: Ohio 18-year-olds could buy handguns if Ramaswamy gets elected
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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If Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is elected governor, he said he would allow 18- to 20-year-olds to buy handguns. In contrast, Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton is focusing on bipartisan safety initiatives.

Both federal and state law ban the majority of 18- to 20-year-olds from buying handguns. Ramaswamy said that isnt fair, since 18-year-olds can join the military.

Why cant you similarly purchase at the age of 18 in certain markets where youre restricted from doing so before the age of 21? Doesnt make sense, Ramaswamy said during a Columbus Metropolitan Club event last Wednesday.

NY: Federal Judge Strikes Down New Yorks First-of-Its-Kind Body Armor Ban, Rules Body Armor Is an Arm Protected by the Second Amendment
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. ruled on October 21, 2026, that New Yorks ban on the purchase and sale of body armor violates the Second Amendment. The 47-page decision and order in Heeter v. James, out of the Western District of New York, grants the plaintiffs motion to block enforcement of what the court called a first-of-its-kind law prohibiting law-abiding residents, outside an eligible profession, from buying body armor for self-defense.

The reasoning is direct. The court held that body armor is an Arm protected by the plain text of the Second Amendment.

Gun Law Circuit Split Persists After Court Denies Review
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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The Supreme Court denied review in United States v. Hembree on Oct. 5, leaving the split intact.

The split has persisted through four Supreme Court Second Amendment rulings: District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen (2022), United States v. Rahimi (2024) and United States v. Hemani (2026). None of these directly decided § 922(g)(1)'s constitutionality. Heller called felon-disarmament prohibitions "presumptively lawful," and Rahimi quoted that language while rejecting a facial challenge to § 922(g)(8). Hemani struck down a prosecution under § 922(g)(3) but repeated Heller's disclaimer about § 922(g)(1).

NM: SAF, Partners Challenge New Mexicos Firearms Purchase Waiting Period
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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In 2024, New Mexico enacted House Bill 129 which forces firearms purchasers to wait out a multi-day waiting period before taking possession of a firearm despite having already been approved through the states background check system. This new case follows the 2025 Ortega v. Grisham lawsuit where the Tenth Circuit held the law was unconstitutional and remanded to the district court, which subsequently issued a permanent injunction. Despite these rulings holding the law to violate the Second Amendment, New Mexico has maintained that it will continue to enforce it against everyone except the named individuals in Ortega. The suit filed today seeks to expand the coverage of the Ortega holding to include all SAF members.

MI: Abdul El-Sayed Is Gunning for the Second Amendment
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Roughly 40 percent of Michigan adults and 32 percent of American adults own at least one firearm. The number of guns owned by Americans reportedly outnumbers the world's armies combined. That's because the Founding Fathers had the foresight to put the Second Amendment in our Constitution which has despite the best efforts of the gun-grabbing Left protected our ability to keep and bear arms.

But Democrats will never stop trying to take away our guns. It's the only way they'd be able to fully implement their socialist takeover of America. Despite being repeatedly smacked down in court, they keep enacting unconstitutional gun laws and put forth insane proposals to strip us of our rights.

Europe on Fire Proves the Value of Our Second Amendment
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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When arson, looting, and rioting swept through Paris on a Sunday night, French police watched it unfold with limited capacity to stop any of it while President Emmanuel Macron and his wife sat at a Céline Dion concert. The images coming out of France are the kind every American gun owner should spend a quiet minute with. In a country where ordinary citizens have been stripped of any practical means of self-defense, a mob can walk into a storefront, take what it wants, and leave the shopkeeper with nothing but a tongue-lashing to deliver.