Federal prosecutors in the District of Columbia will no longer bring felony charges against people accused of possessing rifles or shotguns under local law, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new policy, issued by the nation\u2019s largest U.S. attorney\u2019s office, limits prosecutions to cases where long guns are used in violent crimes or when a defendant is barred from possessing firearms due to a criminal record. Local D.C. authorities may still bring charges for unregistered rifles and shotguns, The Associated Press reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pirro, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in May, said the shift follows Justice Department and solicitor general guidance and reflects recent Supreme Court rulings that expanded gun rights. She pointed to the court\u2019s 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller<\/em>, which struck down a handgun ban, and the 2022 ruling that invalidated New York\u2019s strict carry law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA blanket ban on possessing shotguns and rifles cannot stand under the Supreme Court\u2019s guidance,\u201d Pirro said. \u201cWe will continue to seize all illegal and unlicensed firearms, and to vigorously prosecute all crimes connected with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new policy also applies to large-capacity magazines but does not affect handgun cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The decision comes as Trump has declared a crime emergency in Washington, deploying hundreds of National Guard troops and federal agents. Since the start of the crackdown this month, the White House says authorities have seized 76 firearms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pirro, a former Fox News host and frequent critic of the city\u2019s crime policies, said the shift ensures her office will target \u201cgun crime\u201d while respecting constitutional protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n