CT Federal Delegation: Close Loophole That Puts Domestic Violence Victims In More Danger

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three federal legislators renewed their calls Tuesday for a federal law barring people with a temporary domestic restraining order lodged against them from buying guns.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Chris Murphy and U.S. Rep. Jim Hines were joined at an online press conference by Merry Jackson, whose daughter, Lori, was shot to death by her estranged husband in Oxford in May 2014. 

The husband, who later pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder, also shot Merry several times.

Merry Jackson explained that Lori had obtained a temporary restraining order against her husband, and had retreated from him by moving in with Merry in Oxford. 

While permanent restraining orders can prevent people from buying guns, there was no such provision in place in Connecticut at the time. 

The husband traveled to Virginia to buy a handgun, then returned to Connecticut to kill his wife.

Lori Jackson’s murder caused Connecticut to change the state law so that people with temporary restraining orders can’t purchase weapons. Connecticut’s federal delegation wants it to expand nationwide. The proposed law is called The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act.”

Proponents say it’s common sense” gun control, a change that will protect victims of domestic violence, the majority of whom are women, when they are most vulnerable to abuse.

The bill has the support of the local professionals who help the victims of domestic violence, including Esperina Stubblefield, the director of BHcare’s Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services, and Liz Andrews, the director of public policy and communications at the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

The bill being introduced today provides comprehensive protection at the absolute most dangerous time for any victim of domestic violence, which is when they are starting to take steps to leave,” Andrews said.

She said domestic violence is about control. A person prone to violence often becomes more violent when losing control — such as when a partner gets the courts involved with a temporary restraining order.

Blumenthal said the bill still affords people due process in the form of a court hearing.

The bill could be considered as a stand alone bill or included within the Violence Against Women Act.

The bill has failed to become a law in previous U.S. Congressional sessions. But Blumenthal, Murphy and Himes think the new composition of the federal legislature will change the outcome this time around.

We think the politics on this issue has fundamentally changed,” Murphy said. Republicans used to reflexively fight these changes in laws, but because of the political power that has grown around the anti-gun violence movement because of the powerful stories of survivors like Merry, we’re winning more converts.”

Himes said the legislation is also intended to limit firearm access to responsible gun owners. He said the bill is consistent with the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms — but the Second Amendment does not entitle either those who have demonstrated violence, or behavior that could lead to violence, to further threaten and terrify those who have been victims.”

The Valley Indy messaged the National Rifle Association on Tuesday for comment.

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