CHICAGO (AP) -- If the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Chicago's handgun ban, the city will likely do what Washington, D.C., did when its own ban was overturned two years ago: Put in place all sorts of restrictions to make it tougher to buy guns and easier for police to know who has them.
Prospective gun owners in D.C. now are required to take training courses that include spending one hour on a firing range and several hours in a classroom learning about gun safety. They also must pass a 20 question test based on D.C.'s firearm laws.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says he's encouraged by what he sees in D.C. and vows not go down without a fight.
"The Supreme Court tore down the wall, and D.C. built up 95 percent of it again," said Richard Gardiner, who is suing the district over the new laws on behalf of Dick Heller, the plaintiff in the original case.
Daley is one of the nation's most vocal gun control advocates, and has a reputation for wielding his power. And he has a reason to stay tough: the city's murder rate has dropped in recent years, but it is still one of the highest in the country.
