Justice Stevens is known for his leading role in two gun rights cases: in 2008 and in 2010 he had dissented against narrow court majorities and opined that individuals did not have a fundamental right to “keep and bear arms.” Stevens held that the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was intended to apply only to state-run militias.
While in the current elections, both the presidential candidates seem reluctant to discuss gun-control, Stevens said, “That's a question I'd like to ask both of them.”
On Monday, he told supporters of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence that the Supreme Court's decisions still had some room for new gun measures. He pointed out that in 2008, in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller, the court has recognized the validity of bans on felons from purchasing guns and short-barreled shotguns.
Stevens said, “The failure of Congress to take any action to minimize the risk of similar tragedies in the future cannot be blamed on the court's decision in Heller.”
Stressing on the point that he would like to hear the presidential candidates speak on the issue of gun control, Stevens mentioned that the inaction on gun measures only reflects the strength of groups like the National Rifle Association.
After leaving the Supreme Court in 2010, Stevens continues to give speeches and interviews, and in 2011, he wrote a book about the five justices he knew closely during his career.
