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For Immediate Release
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Brady Center Statement on the Retirement of Justice Stevens

Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence,
issued the following statement today about Supreme Court Justice John
Paul Stevens' plan to retire this summer:

WASHINGTON

Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence,
issued the following statement today about Supreme Court Justice John
Paul Stevens' plan to retire this summer:

"All Americans
concerned about the daily tragedy of American gun violence owe Justice
Stevens a debt of gratitude for his penetrating dissent in District
of Columbia v. Heller. In that dissent, Justice Stevens eloquently
warned of the danger of excessive judicial interference with the life
and death judgments of the elected representatives of the people in
regulating guns in the interest of public safety. So far, his warnings
have been heeded by the lower courts in consistently upholding gun laws
challenged since the Heller decision.

"Our hope is that
President Obama will nominate to the High Court a candidate who, like
Justice Stevens, will respect the reasonable judgments of legislative
bodies as to how best to protect the public from death and injury from
gunfire."

Brady United formerly known as The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and its legislative and grassroots affiliate, the Brady Campaign and its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, is the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence. We are devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.