CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire’s attorney general says residents who cross state lines with their guns should not be subject to “felony convictions and imprisonment” for violating Massachusetts law.
Attorney General John Formella filed briefs with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on Monday in support of two New Hampshire men who were charged with carrying guns in Massachusetts without firearms licenses. A Lowell District Court judge previously ruled that Massachusetts can’t prosecute out-of-state residents for illegally carrying guns if they were legally entitled to have them in their home state.
“Challenging Massachusetts’ restrictive firearm laws”
“By challenging Massachusetts’ restrictive firearm laws, we are affirming that constitutional freedoms should not be undermined by inconsistent and overly burdensome regulations,” Formella said in a statement. “This is all about ensuring that responsible gun owners can protect themselves without fear of unjust legal consequences when they cross state borders.”