Judge: The Second Amendment Doesn't Exist in New York

She told us, ‘Do not bring the Second Amendment into this courtroom. It doesn’t exist here. So you can’t argue Second Amendment. This is New York.'

Dexter Taylor, a 52-year-old software engineer from Brooklyn, was convicted of 13 weapons charges in New York yesterday following his arrest for home gunsmithing in 2022.

Catching a bad rap for malum prohibitum gun charges is nothing new (especially not in NYC), but what sticks out in this case is the Judge's alarming attitude.

Judge Abena Darkeh reportedly told Vinoo Varghese, the defense attorney for the accused, 'Do not bring the Second Amendment into this courtroom. It doesn’t exist here. So you can’t argue Second Amendment. This is New York.'

Taylor got into gunsmithing during the COVID-19 lockdowns, ordering legal parts online and building firearms in his NY apartment. ATF and NYPD caught wind of his activities, raided his apartment, and arrested him. He's now in Rikers, awaiting sentencing.

It's worth noting that Taylor was convicted mainly on possession and registration violations and was not found guilty of selling the firearms illegally or using them to harm anyone.