A Milwaukee judge has ruled that Wisconsin’s ban on concealed weapons is unconstitutional as it applies to a contractor who was victimized by a robbery. The decision comes as the new Republican majority in the state Legislature considers ending the nearly century-and-a-half-old ban on concealed carry.

The court case involves 28-year-old Jeremy Pinnow of Cascade in Sheboygan County. He was remodeling an apartment building last April on Milwaukee’s north side when he and two co-workers were robbed at gunpoint. He was looking for his stolen car three days later when police arrested him for having an unloaded gun in a case under his car-seat.

Pinnow was charged with a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed weapon, but Circuit Judge JD Watts dismissed the case. The judge said Pinnow had few other options for exercising his state constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense. Judge Watts said Pinnow would have been denied his rights had he been required to move his gun out of reach.

Pinnow’s attorney said the laws are vague as they apply to the transportation of weapons under the concealed carry ban.

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