NYC's Village Voice Slams 60,000 Gravity Knife Prosecutions

[critter]

New York City's The Village Voice newspaper has published a front-page article, "Blade Stunner," slamming the City's persecution of knife owners. Journalist Jon Campbell's in-depth research provides an informative historical perspective. Following the travails of some citizens caught up in this absurd enforcement, his gripping narrative also personalizes the unfortunate and serious impact the City's irrational and unconstitutional enforcement has had on citizens arrested and prosecuted for simply carrying a common folding knife.

One of the most shocking revelations in this article confirms Knife Rights' longstanding position that tens of thousands of citizens have been victimized by the City's outrageous enforcement practices. In the first estimate by an independent organization it reports that, "Village Voice analysis of data from several sources suggests there have been as many as 60,000 gravity-knife prosecutions over the past decade, and that the rate has more than doubled in that time. If those estimates are correct, it's enough to place gravity-knife offenses among the top 10 most prosecuted crimes in New York City."

Click here to read the complete "Blade Stunner" article.

Author Jon Campbell also has a short and somewhat humorous, if pointed, companion piece, which makes good reading as well, "On Switchblades, 'Cheap Dime Store Hoods' and That Wet End, Lachance"

While the Blade Stunner article notes that the unjust enforcement of the '50s-era New York knife law has landed thousands in jail and "brought Right and Left together" opposing it, the article also details why legislative solutions have gone nowhere. Unfortunately, Knife Rights' Federal civil rights lawsuit seems like the only solution in the near term, absent some change of heart in Albany.

Knife Rights' fight to stop the persecution of knife owners in New York City and to prevent this from spreading to other cities will continue. Click here to read the latest news on Knife Rights' Federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City and District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr.

Please support this lawsuit with a tax-deductible charitable contribution to the Knife Rights Foundation.

WARNING: New York City has interpreted the state law against gravity knives such that if an officer can "wrist flick" the knife blade open, or alleges that the knife might be able to be opened in such a manner, and the knife blade locks open, that knife is an illegal gravity knife. NYC takes this position even if it requires multiple tries and use of exaggerated arm thrust or motion. Using this interpretation, most any lockblade knife might be deemed an illegal gravity knife.

Note also that New York City administrative code has an under-4-inch length limit and requires knives be carried concealed. Knife Rights recommends that you never carry your knife clipped to your pocket in New York City. Even when covered by a jacket, simply moving the jacket aside to get to a wallet has been enough to get folks arrested. Always ensure your knife is completely concealed at all times, including not "printing" on the outside of your clothing. In addition, be extremely circumspect about using a knife for any purpose in a public setting.

[Pinetreebbs]

It was a good article and while you may be a law abiding citizen you too could be caught by this egregious NY policy.

Another reason to support http://www.kniferights.org/" target="_blank

[Evil D]

Another reason to avoid NYC.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

It is interesting how people across the political spectrum and world-view are standing together on this good issue: to defend the right of the individual to carry and use knives and other cutting tools without fear of arrest or prosecution. Labor unions are now supporting the knife rights because many of their workers and other workers have been wrongly arrested because the LEO saw a pocket clip knife, and, in some cases, unfairly used excessive force to open the knife, holding the blade, to declare it a "gravity knife" or "switch blade". There was was once a situation where a police officer saw the pocket clip (the knife required two hands to open and the tension screw was too tight for him to open one-handed): the policeman stood there, several times, trying to put all of his strength into opening the knife by holding the blade..in this case he COULD NOT DO IT because the knife tension was too tight, and he handed it back to the person, and went on his way. Is that not a waste of time and energy and an attack against the person's rights or what?

[Monocrom]

'Bout time the Village Voice wrote something of journalistic value.

Too bad it took them over a decade to figure out what's been going on.

[phillipsted]

In addition, be extremely circumspect about using a knife for any purpose in a public setting.

Thanks for all the work you do to defend our rights, Doug! It is greatly appreciated.

Your last sentence had me laughing into my coffee this morning. I bet the NYCPD is going to raid Le Bernardin, Per Se, Jean Georges, Marea, and all the other high-end restaurants in the city. The last time I was in one of these "dens of iniquity" I saw lots of people brandishing knives - flaunting the law! :cool:

TedP

[Donut]

I read through about half of that first article and all of the second one. That first article is VERY long.

There is some solid information in it. I hope that people who matter are able to read it.

[Liquid Cobra]

You know they've got it bad when I've got an easier time carrying a knife in Canada.

[Monocrom]

You know they've got it bad when I've got an easier time carrying a knife in Canada.

Canada?? The folks in England have an easier time carrying knives in public than we do here in NYC.

(Now you know something is way the **** wrong when that statement is fact.)

[c.joe]

So glad this is being addressed. I still remember the Gerber Gator incident that gave some kid a few years in prison. Thank you Doug for all that you do!

[Monocrom]

I could tell you even worse horror stories that occurred over the decade or so that this $#!% has been going on. Decent, law-abiding citizens labelled as and treated as violent criminals. Often for just carrying their work knives around with them.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I could tell you even worse horror stories that occurred over the decade or so that this $#!% has been going on. Decent, law-abiding citizens labelled as and treated as violent criminals. Often for just carrying their work knives around with them.

Do you predict or estimate that we will see a major across-the-board tide, nation wide, turned in favor of knife users/owners, or, only small pockets, like how some states have relaxed the knife laws, and others such as New York City and Washington DC will continue to have strict anti-knife laws?

Remember some time back a Hawaii mayor or governor was pushing to make it illegal to carry any folder with a blade over TWO INCHES? Insanity!

[Monocrom]

Things, sadly, are not going to swing the other way.

The best we can hope for is that the disgusting extortionist in the D.A.'s office gets so embarrassed, that some measure of common sense returns to NYC. If D.A. Vance wasn't a District Attorney, he'd be in jail by now.

[christopher]

I am wondering, how much of the resources of the DA's office have been spent with 60,000 prosecutions? Do the people of Manhattan really think this is a good application of the tax dollars they contribute to the office? Are they spending an excessive price for the DA's office to be overstaffed in order to be able to handle this level of activity?

Just don't know. But I would be pissed.

[Monocrom]

D.A. Vance is an ambitious extortionist who has horribly abused his position.

[Donut]

I think the idea is that he doesn't carry a knife. Maybe he believes the media and is actually afraid of anyone who might have a use for a knife.

That would allow him to have no sympathy for the people he is attacking.

It would be very interesting to me, to hear some values that he believes are worth fighting for.

[Monocrom]

He gets to pretend he's tough on crime. The sheer number of sheeple we have in NYC will believe him since they're afraid of their own shadows (forget about pocket knives). Then when he runs for higher office, he gets to B.S. about his record as D.A. and about he was tough on crime so "Vote for me! I kept New Yorkers safe from their own shadows!!" :rolleyes:

The guy belongs in prison. If anyone else pulled the disgusting and criminal B.S. that he did, He would have prosecuted them right into a fricking cell.

[Donut]

So... he passed his Politics 101 class? :)

[Monocrom]

He graduated from the Advanced Politics course.

[christopher]

He doesn't need a knife in his pocket. He has a couple of bodyguards with guns.