Brady Joins in Mourning Death of Justice John Paul Stevens

Washington, D.C., July 16, 2019 — Following the death of former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens at the age of 99, the gun violence prevention group Brady joined the nation in mourning his passing. Justice Stevens notably supported gun violence prevention laws from the bench throughout his career, writing notable dissents in the Printz v. United States case regarding the Brady Bill and the landmark Heller v. District of Columbia case.

Brady VP of Legal Jonathan Lowy stated,

“Justice John Paul Stevens was a true patriot in every meaning of the word, protecting America from enemies in war, and protecting Americans’ rights, and our right to safety, on the bench. He was simply one of the most brilliant jurists the Supreme Court has ever known. He was a champion for equality and believed deeply in the importance of the rule of law, providing a shining example for all of us to this day. Justice Stevens understood that a proper construction of the Constitution provides Americans with the right to enact strong laws to protect our communities from gun violence, and the Framers did not intend to take away that authority in the Second Amendment.

“In his years of retirement, Justice Stevens showed his continued leadership by taking a stand time and time again, including against America’s unacceptable levels of gun violence, leaning on his years of experience and wisdom to show our country the way toward a better, and safer, America. We are thankful for his long life and are appreciative of his long service to our nation. Rest in peace, Justice Stevens, and thank you for all you have done.”

In 2012, two years after retirement, Justice Stevens spoke at the Brady Legal Alliance about the importance of taking action against gun violence. That speech can be seen in full here.