Judge Denies New York Attorney General’s Request to Change Judges in Body Armor Lawsuit

New York Attorney General Letitia James recently faced a setback in her legal battle over a controversial state law that bans the sale of body armor. James’ office is defending this law, which was enacted after the tragic mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket in May 2022.

The shooter in that incident killed ten people and injured several others while wearing body armor. In light of this, the law aims to prevent similar tragedies by prohibiting the sale and possession of body armor in the state.

However, the law is being challenged by the Firearms Policy Coalition, which argues that it violates the rights of New Yorkers looking to protect themselves from potential shooters. U.S. District Judge John Sinatra Jr. is presiding over the case, which is related to other ongoing lawsuits concerning firearm laws in New York.

In a bid to change judges, James claimed that her case was assigned to Sinatra due to its relation to other firearm cases, but she contended that the laws being challenged were fundamentally different. Her office argued that the matters should not be grouped together.

Despite James’ efforts, Judge Sinatra ruled against the request earlier this month. He clarified that the case had been randomly assigned to him and noted that any prior information suggesting otherwise was incorrect.

The lawsuit stems from a New York resident named Benjamin Heeter, who wishes to purchase body armor. Heeter has a specific concern: he wants armor in his car in case he finds himself in another civil unrest situation, like one that he experienced in 2020.

Supporters of the New York body armor law argue that it will deter potential shooters from wearing armor that could impede police during an emergency. Critics, however, argue the law is ineffective as it does not apply to types of body armor worn by individuals like the Buffalo shooter.