In a unanimous decision in the case U.S. v. Hemani, the justices found that Ali Hemani’s prosecution for having a firearm while he was an unlawful drug user is inconsistent the Second Amendment. Hemani allegedly was only an occasional user of marijuana when the FBI found a handgun at his Texas home in 2022.
The ruling from the Supreme Court is narrow, since the justices did not strike down the law at the center of the case in its entirety.
The law forbids an unlawful drug user from possessing firearms, and violators face up to 15 years in prison. The Justice Department estimates roughly 300 people are charged with the offense each year.
Perhaps the most high-profile person convicted under the law was Hunter Biden, former President Joe Biden’s son, though he was pardoned by his father in December 2024.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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