Due to the increased number of homicides and related shootings, the City of Syracuse created and passed a law prohibiting the sale of handguns within the City of Syracuse. Due to the fact that there are numerous gun shops just outside the city limits, the Onondaga County Legislature, in the spirit of cooperation with the City of Syracuse and to help reduce crime, also passed legislation prohibiting all gun shops in the county from selling handguns. Further, two new county court judges were elected on the gun violence issue and are staunch anti-gun advocates. You are the owner of a small gun shop in Baldwinsville (Onondaga County) and were notified of this by the county via registered mail. You have until November 1st to remove all handguns from your store or face prosecution for Criminal Posession of a Deadly Weapon and other related charges (it is now September 1st). On November 2nd, law enforcement came to your store, confiscated all your handguns, and you were charged. You pleaded not guilty, went to court and were convicted. You and your lawyer are now appealing the decision. QUESTION: Is this a valid arrest and conviction? Cite which Constitutional Amendment is the basis for this, any rules that you feel are applicable, and research if there are any prior court decisions regarding municipalities trying to curb firearms.
