Illinois Justices Weigh Gun Rights in Pending Felony Cases

Illinois Supreme Court justices on Tuesday pressed hard on an attorney challenging a state statute under which his client’s Firearm Owners Identification card was briefly suspended due to a pending felony case.

“There is no historical analogue to ‘I accuse you of a crime, therefore you cannot keep and bear arms,’” said attorney Thomas Maag, noting that under the US Supreme Court’s decision in Bruena gun regulation must fit into historical tradition.

But, Justice Sanjay Tailor noted, there is a long tradition of keeping people locked up as their cases were pending.

“The point has been made that if ...