Gun registration laws can't really be aimed at criminals

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

I clipped and reposted this, but it is accurate. Considering that the SCOTUS has already said this, then we must assume all gun registration laws are aimed at law abiding citizens.

 

In Haynes v. U.S. (1968), a Miles Edward Haynes appealed his
conviction for unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barreled
shotgun. His argument was ingenious: since he was a convicted felon at
the time he was arrested on the shotgun charge, he could not legally
possess a firearm. Haynes further argued that for a convicted felon to
register a gun, especially a short-barreled shotgun, was effectively an
announcement to the government that he was breaking the law. If he did
register it, as 26 U.S.C. sec.5841 required, he was incriminating
himself; but if he did not register it, the government would punish him
for possessing an unregistered firearm -- a violation of 26 U.S.C.
sec.5851. Consequently, his Fifth Amendment protection against self-
incrimination ("No person... shall be compelled in any criminal case to
be a witness against himself") was being violated -- he would be
punished if he registered it, and punished if he did not register it.
While the Court acknowledged that there were circumstances where a
person might register such a weapon without having violated the
prohibition on illegal possession or transfer, both the prosecution and
the Court acknowledged such circumstances were "uncommon." The Court
concluded:

"We hold that a proper claim of the constitutional privilege

against self-incrimination provides a full defense to prosecutions

either for failure to register a firearm under sec.5841 or for

possession of an unregistered firearm under sec.5851."