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Criminal Defense Blog 2016 June Gravity Knives in NYC
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Gravity Knives in NYC

Posted By Lance Fletcher || 20-Jun-2016

gravity knife law nyc lawyer

NY’S GRAVITY KNIFE LAW

We all know that it is legal to own a knife, but how do you know? I am going to go out on a limb and say that you have not read a New York statute that told you: It is legal to own a knife. You probably don’t really know that it is legal to own a knife, but you assume it is legal to own a knife because you can go to the store and buy a knife.

Every single year thousands of New Yorkers are arrested and charged with possessing a “gravity knife,” around 60,000 in the last ten years. Many of them have no idea what a gravity knife is. It is currently a misdemeanor charge, but if you have a prior you could actually go to prison for seven years for simply having a gravity knife in your pocket (if charged as a felony).

A gravity knife is defined as if a knife that opens with “the force of gravity or the application of centrifugal force” --think 1950’s gang member holding a knife in one hand and being able to open it with just the flick of his wrist. This law was, in fact, enacted in the 1950’s, and while comical that lawmakers expected that the average person should know what centrifugal force is, what’s more comical is that they allow these knives to be sold. It is legal to buy one but to abide by the law I guess after you buy it you have to immediately throw it in the trash at the store after you purchase it. A gravity knife is prohibited by New York penal law section 265.01 which reads "A person is guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the 4th degree when he possesses a... gravity knife"

Last year a bill that passed the Assembly,but did not pass the Senate, would require a suspect to have criminal intent in order to be charged for carrying the knife. So you could buy it and possess it, you just couldn’t use it to stab someone, make someone think you are going to stab them, or I suppose pick a lock.

But you do not need to look far for the reason this was not passed: as of March of this year, New York City police recorded 809 stabbing incidents, up from 673 last year. There have been 20 attacks in the subways – which is nine more than last year. It is too hard to convince anyone to lighten up on the knife possession laws when stabbings seem to be increasing at an alarming rate.

However, what law makers in opposition are failing to recognize is that these knives are currently being sold and believed by the public to be legal, therefore the only change in passing the law is that if you are using it to do anything other than stab someone it is okay if you have one in your pocket. There would not be more of them on the street if they became legal—because everyone that currently owns one thinks they are legal to own right now.

Those in support of making the knives legal: labor unions, public defense organizations, the Office of Court Administration, the official body of the state judiciary. Those wanting the knives to remain illegal but sold in stores as if they are legal: law enforcement.

Categories: Criminal Possession of a Weapon

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