Attorney General William P. Barr has unveiled a groundbreaking Domestic Violence Working Group, spearheaded by U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas, to combat gun access for domestic abusers. The initiative, designed under the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), aims to leverage federal firearm prosecutions in the fight against domestic violence.
Barr emphasized the urgent need for such measures, stating, ‘Too often, domestic abusers escalate their threats to extreme violence, leaving families and communities shattered.’ The group will focus on utilizing federal tools alongside state, local, and tribal efforts to address this critical issue.
U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox noted, ‘Our goal is clear: to deter convicted abusers from possessing firearms. The Justice Department stands ready to prosecute these cases with full force.’ Federal law already restricts firearm possession for felons and those under domestic violence protective orders or with prior convictions of domestic violence misdemeanors.
Research highlights the alarming risk posed by gun access in domestic abuse situations, indicating that abusers with firearms are five times more likely to kill their partners. Furthermore, over half of America’s mass shootings originate from domestic abuse scenarios. The Working Group will address legal complexities unique to federal gun cases involving domestic violence.
Members of the Working Group, including Scott W. Brady, Robert M. Duncan Jr., Nicola T. Hanna, and others, will collaborate to share best practices, conduct legal analyses, and guide U.S. Attorneys on outreach efforts. This collaboration is poised to significantly reduce gun-related domestic violence incidents nationwide.
For more information on the Domestic Violence Working Group and examples of ongoing cases in the Northern District of Texas, visit here.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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