The New York State Assembly unanimously passed Assemblyman Dan Quarts’ bill, A5944, another effort by our longtime ally to address the bogus arrests and prosecutions on illegal Gravity Knife charges of knife owners carrying common folding knives in New York City. Governor Cuomo has twice vetoed similar bills.
A5944 would remove “gravity knife” from all New York criminal statutes, while leaving the existing definition of a Gravity Knife intact. While Cuomo admitted in one veto message that, “[New York City’s] interpretation of the “gravity knife” has resulted in a definition that is both amorphous, subject to abuse and could include nearly any pocket knife,” it didn’t stop him from vetoing both previously overwhelmingly passed bills. Cuomo seems bound and determined to see these arrests continue, even in the face of recognition by virtually every legislator in Albany that these unjust arrests must stop.
Having passed the Assembly, Senator Robert Jackson’ companion bill, S3898, will now be the focus of attention.
While the legislature attempts again to address this issue, in New York City the arrests continue, even after a lower court ruled the arrest unconstitutional in limited circumstances.
Knife Rights will monitor this legislation and let you know if you need you to act to support this bill.
Meanwhile, Knife Rights’ federal civil rights case that is attempting to rid the city entirely of its infamous “wrist flick test” is on petition to the U.S. Supreme Court Three strong amicus briefs have been filed and the Court has directed the City and DA Vance to respond to plaintiff’s petition for Writ of Certiorari.