Who thought it would happen here?

A landmark Illinois Supreme Court case affirming the Second Amendment right to carry arms outside the home has sent shockwaves through the state’s legal system:

Prosecutors say they’ve dismissed all charges against at least 103 defendants arrested for illegal gun possession in Chicago.

The State Supreme Court recently ruled that part of local gun laws to be unconstitutional. Still, a spokeswoman for State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez said that anyone found carrying a firearm could still be charged with a crime.

Since FOX 32 News first reported last Thursday on the Illinois Supreme Court ruling, we’ve been pressing Alvarez and Chicago Police to explain their policy. On Wednesday night, a spokesperson said, “It would not be prudent for citizens to carry loaded firearms in public, whether they possess a valid Firearm Owners ID card or not. As for whether these cases would result in criminal charges…I would only say that we would evaluate any individual incident on a case-by-case basis.”

One of those watching closely is Edward Hambrick.

“Just being in my own bed, in my own family home, the house I grew up in, it feels great!” Hambrick said after being freed from Cook County Jail.

Edward Hambrick also enjoyed choosing his own clothing Wednesday, something he could not do in 14 months at the Cook County Jail. He was locked up longer than some convicted of violent crimes, though authorities said the 40-year-old computer programmer’s record is completely clean. He was among four defendants freed from the jail overnight.

State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez dropped gun possession charges against 103 defendants Tuesday. The Illinois Supreme Court last week ruled the gun possession charges they all faced were based on a law that is unconstitutional.

Unfortunately, the newly-rediscovered right comes a little late.

The FBI has confirmed that Chicago is now the murder capital of the United States.