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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 18 december 2018

Federal court says N.Y. ban on

nunchucks unconstitutional

By DEEPTI HAJELA ney, started his legal quest cused on getting the part
Associated Press after being charged with of the law overturned that
NEW YORK (AP) — A 1974 possession of nunchucks banned nunchucks, two
New York state ban on in his home in 2000. He ini- rigid rods connected at
nunchucks that was put tially filed a complaint in one end by a chain or rope,
into place over fears that 2003, and appealed all the even in private homes.
youth inspired by martial way to the U.S. Supreme In her ruling, Chen said
arts movies would create Court when the case went the court couldn't simply
widespread mayhem is against him. The Supreme take that part out, and
unconstitutional under the Court in 2010 remanded ruled that the state's law In this April 6, 2017, file photo, objects confiscated from passen-
Second Amendment, a the case back down to be as it pertained to possess- gers' carry-on luggage, including nunchucks, bottom, are dis-
federal court has ruled. reconsidered in light of a ing nunchuks as well as to played at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Wash.
Judge Pamela Chen issued Second Amendment deci- manufacturing, transport- Associated Press
her ruling Friday in a Brook- sion it had made in another ing or disposing of them
lyn federal court on the case, and Maloney filed an was in violation of the Sec- it "arose out of a concern circles of the state's youth'
martial arts weapon made amended complaint later ond Amendment. that, as a result of the ris- — including 'muggers and
famous by Bruce Lee. that year. The ruling went over the his- ing popularity 'of 'Kung Fu' street gangs' — were 'wide-
The plaintiff, James Malo- Maloney had been fo- tory of the ban, and said movies and shows,' 'various ly' using nunchaku to cause

Statue of Liberty climber convicted in July 4 protest

By LARRY NEUMEISTER disorderly conduct. year.
Associated Press Ron Kuby, one of Okou- Okoumou had testified that
NEW YORK (AP) — A wom- mou's lawyers, told the she couldn't live with the
an who climbed the base judge that his client want- sight of "children in cages"
of the Statue of Liberty on ed a trial even though it and thought climbing the
July 4 to protest the separa- was clear the "likelihood of statue was the only way to
tion of families at the Mexi- her conviction today was bring attention to the issue.
can border was convicted close to 100 percent." "I have had nightmares. I
Monday of misdemeanor In a courtroom packed just couldn't live with it," she
charges by a judge who with emotional Okoumou said. Outside court after-
said a person's viewpoint supporters, Gorenstein ex- ward, she stood alongside
can't be a factor in wheth- plained that his decision Kuby, defense attorney Rhi-
er laws are enforced. needed to be consistent daya Trivedi and California
The verdict by U.S. Magis- whether it was Okoumou attorney Michael Avenatti,
trate Judge Gabriel W. Go- who climbed the statue or who served as an adviser
renstein came two hours somebody with the exact in the case, as supporters
after Therese Okoumou got opposite opinions. held signs behind her.
choked up as she testified, He noted that Okoumou "We stand on the right side
saying images from the repeatedly ignored orders Therese Okoumou, right, who climbed the base of the Statue of history," Okoumou said. "I
U.S.-Mexican border of chil- to descend from a perch of Liberty on July 4 to protest the separation of families at the am not a bit discouraged
dren being torn from their at the feet of the statue Mexican border, stands next to a poster of herself outside a today."
courthouse in lower Manhattan after she was convicted of mis-
parents gave her night- that was high enough that demeanor charges Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, in New York. She said she didn't regret
mares. a prosecutor said it could Associated Press her Statue of Liberty pro-
She faces up to 18 months have seriously injured or test.
in prison at a March 5 sen- killed her or tourists below. and gird themselves like onstration forced an evac- In a statement, U.S. At-
tencing on charges of tres- New York Police Depart- mountain climbers to safely uation of 4,330 people from torney Geoffrey S. Ber-
passing, interference with ment rescuers were forced bring her down. the statue grounds on one man praised Gorenstein's
an agency's function and to climb a rickety ladder The nearly four-hour dem- of its busiest days of the verdict.q