Alan Gura is the lead attorney in District of Columbia v. Heller, the first major U.S. Supreme Court Case about gun rights to be considered since the late 1930s. In the mid-1970s, the District of Columbia passed draconian gun-control legislation that effectively made it impossible for residents to legally own guns. Representing seven plaintiffs who want to own guns for self-protection and other reasons, Gura and his associates have challenged the constitutionality of D.C.'s gun laws.
The arguments were presented earlier this spring and the Court's decision can be announced any moment. At the center of the case is whether the judiciary will recognize that the Second Amendment grants an individual right to own guns, a point conceded by virtually all historians and legal experts.
Gura recently sat down with reason.tv's Nick Gillespie to explain the high stakes of one of the most important and highly anticipated court cases in recent memory.
This nine-minute interview was shot and edited by reason.tv's Dan Hayes.