A few miles off in any direction, and the debate about the knife involved in Freddie Gray's arrest by Baltimore police may have been completely different.
The state of Maryland has one set of laws governing knives. The city of Baltimore has its own rules. Caught in the middle are people like Gray, who probably have no idea whether carrying a legally purchased knife can lead to criminal charges.
A conflict between laws about knives is not unique to Maryland. Nationwide, knife laws vary in neighboring towns, counties, cities and states. This mishmash makes it difficult for citizens to comply.
"How's a person supposed to know what the law is, and how are they supposed to know that there's a difference in the law" between jurisdictions, said Jan Billeb, executive director of the American Knife & Tool Institute, which advocates for greater knife rights in the United States.
Between 2012 and 2014, Baltimore averaged four homicides and 183 aggravated assaults "with edged weapons," which would include knives, compared with 23 homicides and 109 aggravated assaults with firearms, according to data posted by the city on its website.
During encounters with police, civil rights activists say, black men tend to fall victim to confusion over knife laws. In fact, Gray is among a handful of African-Americans to die in Baltimore in recent years after a police encounter that involved a knife or an edged weapon.
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This is any law. When the state makes a law local governments have to enforce it. They can also add more restrictions but can not loosen any.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is ignorance of a law is not an excuse. It's up to a person to find out what laws apply when they want to do something.
If " black men tend to fall victim to confusion" that's their fault.
How is he to know that dealing drugs is illegal? The point is that he chose to do these things whether they are legal or not.
ReplyDelete12:47 I suppose you look up every driving regulation before you drive in another State. You are an idiot for making such a blanket statement.
ReplyDeleteWhen you arm yourself with a weapon, knife, gun, pepper spray, it is your responsibility to know the law. Man enough to do the crime, be man enough to do the time, if you choose not to follow the law.
ReplyDelete12:47 sounds like the type of idiot that jumps on command.
ReplyDeleteBoot licker.