Freedom Wins in New York - DA Vance & Cuomo Finally Capitulate!

[critter]

After 9 years of effort, 8 years of costly Federal litigation, 3 bills passed overwhelmingly and the terrifying threat of losing big time at the U.S. Supreme Court, New York Governor Cuomo signed A5944, repealing the state's bans on Gravity Knives (while leaving the definition intact). By repealing these bans and making gravity knives legal, New York City and District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., can no longer abuse the definition of a gravity knife and continue to unconstitutionally arrest and prosecute persons by claiming that a common lockblade folding knife or utility knife is an illegal gravity knife. The repeal is effective immediately.

Full details and comments to follow, but....WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[Naperville]

Congratulations to all who support the 2nd Amendment and our right to carry.

Congratulations to YOU, Mr Critter. I know that you are intimately involved in the repeal of unjust knife laws around the country. It is a big win.

If you are not a member of Knife Rights, join with me and many others to secure our rights nationwide!
www.KnifeRights.org

[Extra330SC]

Congratulations to all who support the 2nd Amendment and our right to carry.

Congratulations to YOU, Mr Critter. I know that you are intimately involved in the repeal of unjust knife laws around the country. It is a big win.

If you are not a member of Knife Rights, join with me and many others to secure our rights nationwide!
www.KnifeRights.org

Well said.... Joined and donated! We need people like Doug Ritter fighting for the knife community.


James

[JD Spydo]

Congratulations to all who support the 2nd Amendment and our right to carry.

Congratulations to YOU, Mr Critter. I know that you are intimately involved in the repeal of unjust knife laws around the country. It is a big win.

If you are not a member of Knife Rights, join with me and many others to secure our rights nationwide!
www.KnifeRights.org

Thank you Naperville :) Because he makes a point that few people realize or even try to recognize>> and that is the fact that the 2nd Amendment isn't just only about guns however which is a huge part of the 2nd Amendment but the Constitutional carry of something as simple and mundane as a common pocketknife is a huge right that people tend to play down or totally ignore.

I truly believe that organizations like the NRA, Gun Owners of America and several organizations like them should also include the right to carry pocketknives and even fixed blade knives in rural and non-urban areas. To get these laws reversed in bigger urban cities is going to take a while but even those un-Constitutional laws need to be eliminated.

Every small accomplishment is worth while and needs to be supported.

[Naperville]

Thank you Naperville :) Because he makes a point that few people realize or even try to recognize>> and that is the fact that the 2nd Amendment isn't just only about guns however which is a huge part of the 2nd Amendment but the Constitutional carry of something as simple and mundane as a common pocketknife is a huge right that people tend to play down or totally ignore.

I truly believe that organizations like the NRA, Gun Owners of America and several organizations like them should also include the right to carry pocketknives and even fixed blade knives in rural and non-urban areas. To get these laws reversed in bigger urban cities is going to take a while but even those un-Constitutional laws need to be eliminated.

Every small accomplishment is worth while and needs to be supported.

I find it funny as a member of GOA and NRA, that NRA insurance DOES NOT cover legal EDC knives. Those 2nd Amendment orgs don't care abt knives as weapons of opportunity and for self defense!!! They do not do what Knife Rights does for us.

I have USCCA insurance which protects me for all weapons of opportunity (legal) including no weapons (empty handed). Now why could not the NRA do that? It's a no-brainer and they are a 2nd Amendment org. The NRA needs to rethink that insurance coverage!

[Pinetreebbs]

Thank you Doug Ritter and Knife Rights.

[JD Spydo]

Thank you Naperville :) Because he makes a point that few people realize or even try to recognize>> and that is the fact that the 2nd Amendment isn't just only about guns however which is a huge part of the 2nd Amendment but the Constitutional carry of something as simple and mundane as a common pocketknife is a huge right that people tend to play down or totally ignore.

I truly believe that organizations like the NRA, Gun Owners of America and several organizations like them should also include the right to carry pocketknives and even fixed blade knives in rural and non-urban areas. To get these laws reversed in bigger urban cities is going to take a while but even those un-Constitutional laws need to be eliminated.

Every small accomplishment is worth while and needs to be supported.

I find it funny as a member of GOA and NRA, that NRA insurance DOES NOT cover legal EDC knives. Those 2nd Amendment orgs don't care abt knives as weapons of opportunity and for self defense!!! They do not do what Knife Rights does for us.

I have USCCA insurance which protects me for all weapons of opportunity (legal) including no weapons (empty handed). Now why could not the NRA do that? It's a no-brainer and they are a 2nd Amendment org. The NRA needs to rethink that insurance coverage!

OH I hear you loud and clear Brother and it truly behooves me as to why that is :confused: >> because you just know that your average gun enthusiast also is the type of guy or gal that 90% of the time also carry pocket knives or use knives a lot in their daily routine. Truly the Second Amendment is just as much about Swords, Machetes, Bolos, Bowies and knives of all types as it is with guns or any other tool or weapon for that matter. I've even seen the NRA have subscriber specials that give away a good quality pocket knives as giveaways for joining the organization. Because the Second Amendment groups regardless of what type of tool/weapon you are dedicated to are all equally as important>> and truly we need each other to expand our support base.

Because if you let these despicable politicians get an upper hand on one type of tool/weapon they will continue to chip away at others and ultimately making them all illegal. If all of us enthusiasts regardless of which tool/weapon you like the most would unite we could get a solid base of supporters all on one page that would put up a voting block that no politician would want to touch with a 50 foot pole. Because in spite of what this totally corrupt mainstream news media spews out there are far more pro-gun and pro-knife and pro-Constitution people in our society than there are those who oppose our interests. Truly it's that simple and we all need to unite IMO.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

THANK YOU Critter and to all others. I am so glad to read of these wins for pro knife and pro Constitution situations, wherever and whenever they happen, and for people world wide and nation wide.

Critter, I do have a question regarding the warning at the bottom of the page:

https://kniferights.org/legislative-upd ... -new-york/

Does this mean that, as an example, a knife that is manually-opened (no spring assist, no spring driven) folder and has a single-edged blade under inches or below, is now legal to carry there, and the person cannot be arrested for possessing that knife (obviously as long as they are not using it to harm others), such as a Spyderco Endura, Pacific Salt, Buck 110, or other, such as manual but one hand opened Cold Steel, Kershaw, etc knives; are now legal to carry, and the police officers cannot and will not perform the "wrist flick" test, and all of that?

This is part of what I am trying to digest:

" NOTE: While there is nothing in the Administrative Code compelling or allowing seizure of the knife in question, invariably the knife will be taken by the officer and chances of it being returned are very low. In cases where it has been returned is has taken months of effort and often use of an attorney. Knife Rights recommends that you never carry a valuable knife in NYC or one you would not want to lose. Knife Rights strongly suggests that you not resist the officer seizing your knife as that can lead to more serious legal complications."

Does this only apply to knives with the above-four inch blade length now?

" WARNING! New York City Administrative Code still has an Under-4-inch Length Limit and requires knives be carried COMPLETELY concealed."

And when you say under four inches, does that mean four inches and below, or, right up to four inches, that a blade that can be measured to be a literal four inches is illegal?

And this is also what I didn't fully understand:

"A conference to decide whether to take up this case is currently scheduled for June 13th.

A decision in favor of the plaintiffs against the City and DA Vance in our case would make it much harder for the Second Circuit to abuse the issue of vagueness, as they have in our case, to make other cases opposed by these politicians go away, again, as they have also done previously. That possibility was so concerning that even DA Vance, who previously steadfastly opposed any reasonable solution and who is a close confidant of Gov. Cuomo, reversed his prior opposition to the Governor signing any bill that would stop his abuse."

Does this mean there are still more court battles to follow?

Thank you

PS: As a hypothetical test case, let's use this example: There is a woman named Margaret and she loves to carry a pocket knife. She decides to carry two of them kept inside her pocket or purse, not clipped on any outer clothing: A Spyderco Endura or Pacific Salt (both have blades under four inches and are single-edged) and a Cold Steel Finn Wolf Folder (also has a blade under four inches and single-edged). Does this signing of the bill mean Margaret can now visit New York City with her friends and as long as she is not assaulting people with her two folders, she is safe from fines or arrest for merely possessing those knives on her person, or not?

Second question with the above hypothetical situation and person: Margaret and her friends decide to visit the famous Central Park in New York City and have a picnic that consists of bread and other things, and she uses one of her knives to prepare the sandwiches. If a police officer walks by and sees her using said knife or knives, is she still safe from arrest and/or fines?