The police said they had quickly arrested the man, Robert Homer, and found a loaded Glock pistol in his pocket.
That made him ineligible for a gun license under federal law.
The case is now in jeopardy after a federal judge in Brooklyn ruled on Feb. 5 that the police did not have probable cause to stop Mr. Homer.
The case involving Mr. Homer is the latest test of gun laws in the state, where officials continue to grapple with how to square a legacy of strong gun control with the 2022 ruling.
The judge in the state case, Abraham Clott, said he disagreed with the federal judge’s conclusion.
Persons:
Robert Homer, Homer, Nicholas G, Garaufis, Garaufis’s, Abraham Clott
Locations:
Queens, Brooklyn, York, Manhattan