Ban On 'Gun' Phone Cases Gains Support In City Council

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Aldermen have given a preliminary OK to a measure that would ban the sale or possession of cellphone cases that look like handguns.

As WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports, a staff member for the City Council's Finance Committee walked through the council chamber on Monday with what looked like a black pistol sticking out of his back pocket.

It was a mobile phone in what's called a trigger case.

Dean Angelo, President of the Fraternal Order of Police told aldermen a ban is needed because there are times when young people have died when police officers *thought* replica guns were real.

At Chairman Edward Burke's urging, the City Council Finance Committee voted to ban the sale or possession of mobile phone cases that make the cellphones being carried look like automatic handguns.

The cases are sold on the Internet right now. The proposed ban goes before the full City Council Wednesday.