[JURIST] Washington, DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Attorney General Linda Singer [official profiles] announced Monday that the city will appeal a ruling invalidating the District of Columbia's handgun ban [JURIST report] to the US Supreme Court. The city has until August 7th to file an appeal with the high court and will be able to maintain the handgun ban pending appeal. City lawyers have warned that the ruling "severely limits" the ability of local and federal legislatures to regulate firearms to protect citizens and law-enforcement officers.

The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit [official website] in May denied a request [JURIST report] by the city for an en banc rehearing of the court's March decision [PDF text]. A Republican bid to overturn the DC gun ban legislatively passed the US House of Representatives [WP report] in 2004, but failed to get Senate approval. AP has more.