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Appeals Court Strikes Down Mich. Ban On Stun Guns

BAY CITY (WWJ/AP) - The Michigan appeals court says the state can't stop people from owning stun guns.

A three-judge panel at the court says the Michigan and U.S. constitutions allow people to bear arms. The court says a total prohibition on stun guns can't stand.

The decision released Wednesday involved cases from Bay City and Muskegon. In Bay City, a store employee was carrying a stun gun while he worked behind the counter. In Muskegon, a stun gun was seized from a man at his home.

Michigan law had banned the use of stun guns since 1976, with exceptions for police and some other personnel.

A new state law that takes effect in August would allow people to have stun guns if they also have a permit to carry a concealed weapon. That law was not at issue in the cases at the appeals court.

Michigan will be the 44th state that allows residents to carry stun guns under certain circumstances.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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