Massachusetts: High court upholds gun lock law

The highest court in Massachusetts has upheld the constitutionality of a state law that requires gun owners to lock weapons in their homes, a ruling seen as a major victory for gun control advocates.

Gun control proponents argued that the law saves lives because it requires guns to be kept in a locked container or equipped with a trigger lock when not under the owner's control. Opponents pointed to a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said people have a
constitutional right to keep weapons for self-defense.

The Supreme Judicial Court ruled Wednesday that the Second Amendment does not overrule the state's right to require owners to store guns safely.

The case involves a Billerica man who was charged with improperly storing a 12-gauge shotgun, a hunting rifle and ammunition.