Guilty as Charged-The law on MA weapons and certain knives
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2001 7:43 pm
Van Canna, sensei and reader's.
Due to a topic posted by Van, I am publishing below, the section of Massachusetts Law dealing with dangerous weapons other than, hand guns or firearms, which is encompassed the latter being published in paragraph (a) of the same statute.
I think that it is important to martial artists to fully know the list of weapons and derivatives, prohibited as felonious dangerous weapons.
This should be copied and kept in your files.
Unfortunately it prohibits the well intentioned MA from bringing weapons to class on his person or motor vehicle, and please note that some weapons are not specifically categorized but may be considered inherently dangerous weapons in the catch all "phrase or other dangerous weapons" appearing in this chapter.
Of course MA's having weapons derived from the Okinawan variety may have a good case of defying authority charing them with having oars or fishing net handles on their vehicle or possession and the same can be said of the cane (so long as it isn't a sword cane).
The escrima sticks are a close call, which I believe believe to be OK for their specific use as MA training devices, and not in a named category.
The kubotan on a key chain seems like a good bet, and a large group of keys is an asset.
Only once have I had the keys taken with a claim check for exit at a court house.
And this was in Boston and the PO was a lady martial arts student, and at that time I asked her what the weapon was called, and she immediately stated "A Kubotan".
Needless to say we chatted a bit on my exit from the courthouse.
We still have chop sticks or other short pressure point sticks.
Well, here is the statute:
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269 Section 10 deals with the carrying of dangerous weapons. The first part deals with licensing and carrying of firearms.
The section quoted hereunder deals with other dangerous weapons.
Subsection (b) provides: “whoever, except as provided by law, carries on his person, or carries on his person or under his control in a vehicle, any stiletto, dagger or device or case which enables a knife with a locking blade to be drawn at a locked position, any ballistic knife or any knife with a detachable blade capable of being propelled by any mechanism, dirk knife, any knife having a double-edged blade, or a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release devise by which the blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches, or a slung shot, blowgun, blackjack, metallic knuckles or knuckles of any substance which could be put to the same use with the same or similar effect as metallic knuckles, nunchaku, zoobow, also known as klackers or kung fu sticks, or any similar weapon consisting of two sticks of wood, plastic or metal connected at one end by a length of robe, chain, wire, leather, a shuriken or any similar pointed starlike object intended to injure a person, when thrown, or any armband, made with leather which as metallic spikes, points or studes or any metal or other substance and worn on the band, a manrikigusari or similar lengh of chain having weighted ends; or whoever, when arrested upon a warrant for an alleged crime, or when arrested while committing a breach or disturbance of the public peace, is armed or has on his person, or on his person or under control in a vehicle, a billy or other dangerous weapon toher than those mentioned and those mentioned in paragraph (a) shall be punished by inprisonment for not less than two and one-half years nor more than five years in the state prison, or for not less than six months nor more than two and one half years in a jail house or house of correction, except that, if the court finds that the defendant has not been previously convicted of a felony, he may be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years in a jail or house of correction.”
Note: the paragraph (a) mentioned above requiring a mandatory two and one half year sentence. This is the firearm section.
Alan K
Due to a topic posted by Van, I am publishing below, the section of Massachusetts Law dealing with dangerous weapons other than, hand guns or firearms, which is encompassed the latter being published in paragraph (a) of the same statute.
I think that it is important to martial artists to fully know the list of weapons and derivatives, prohibited as felonious dangerous weapons.
This should be copied and kept in your files.
Unfortunately it prohibits the well intentioned MA from bringing weapons to class on his person or motor vehicle, and please note that some weapons are not specifically categorized but may be considered inherently dangerous weapons in the catch all "phrase or other dangerous weapons" appearing in this chapter.
Of course MA's having weapons derived from the Okinawan variety may have a good case of defying authority charing them with having oars or fishing net handles on their vehicle or possession and the same can be said of the cane (so long as it isn't a sword cane).
The escrima sticks are a close call, which I believe believe to be OK for their specific use as MA training devices, and not in a named category.
The kubotan on a key chain seems like a good bet, and a large group of keys is an asset.
Only once have I had the keys taken with a claim check for exit at a court house.
And this was in Boston and the PO was a lady martial arts student, and at that time I asked her what the weapon was called, and she immediately stated "A Kubotan".
Needless to say we chatted a bit on my exit from the courthouse.
We still have chop sticks or other short pressure point sticks.
Well, here is the statute:
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269 Section 10 deals with the carrying of dangerous weapons. The first part deals with licensing and carrying of firearms.
The section quoted hereunder deals with other dangerous weapons.
Subsection (b) provides: “whoever, except as provided by law, carries on his person, or carries on his person or under his control in a vehicle, any stiletto, dagger or device or case which enables a knife with a locking blade to be drawn at a locked position, any ballistic knife or any knife with a detachable blade capable of being propelled by any mechanism, dirk knife, any knife having a double-edged blade, or a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release devise by which the blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches, or a slung shot, blowgun, blackjack, metallic knuckles or knuckles of any substance which could be put to the same use with the same or similar effect as metallic knuckles, nunchaku, zoobow, also known as klackers or kung fu sticks, or any similar weapon consisting of two sticks of wood, plastic or metal connected at one end by a length of robe, chain, wire, leather, a shuriken or any similar pointed starlike object intended to injure a person, when thrown, or any armband, made with leather which as metallic spikes, points or studes or any metal or other substance and worn on the band, a manrikigusari or similar lengh of chain having weighted ends; or whoever, when arrested upon a warrant for an alleged crime, or when arrested while committing a breach or disturbance of the public peace, is armed or has on his person, or on his person or under control in a vehicle, a billy or other dangerous weapon toher than those mentioned and those mentioned in paragraph (a) shall be punished by inprisonment for not less than two and one-half years nor more than five years in the state prison, or for not less than six months nor more than two and one half years in a jail house or house of correction, except that, if the court finds that the defendant has not been previously convicted of a felony, he may be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years in a jail or house of correction.”
Note: the paragraph (a) mentioned above requiring a mandatory two and one half year sentence. This is the firearm section.
Alan K