We are greatly encouraged that the California Supreme Court has agreed to review the Second District Court of Appeals’ outrageous decision to overturn the 10-year-old law barring those convicted of certain violent felonies from possessing body armor. As we said at the time, the decision of the appellate court put police officers at greater risk and the law needs to be reinstated.

Attorney General Jerry Brown agreed and convinced the Supreme Court to review the decision. We will be petitioning the Court for permission to file a “friend of the court” brief supporting a reversal of the decision by the Court of Appeals. Swift corrective action by the high court would restore the protection that law enforcement needs and deserves.

The case arose when LAPD officers stopped Ethan Saleem in 2007 while he was out on parole after serving time for voluntary manslaughter. Saleem was wearing a 10-pound, military-style vest labeled "Body armor, fragmentation protection," which he was not allowed to possess because of his violent felony conviction.

The state law was passed following two famous incidents: the 1994 killing of San Francisco Police Officer James Guelff, murdered by a robber wearing body armor; and the notorious North Hollywood shootout that saw 11 LAPD officers and six civilians wounded during a prolonged exchange of gunfire with two bank robbers clad head to toe in assembled body armor.

We urge the California Supreme Court to move quickly to throw out the appellate court’s decision.

On a related track, we are closely following legislation seeking to reinstate the state law and provide a crystal-clear definition of body armor. With the support of L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley and California Sen. Alex Padilla, that measure has been approved by the state Senate and is pending in the Assembly. We urge the Legislature to quickly complete action on this bill and the Governor to sign it into law.