Knives that many New Yorkers use for work & which can legally be purchased in stores are illegal to carry.
My clients in Brooklyn who use them for work are prosecuted for carrying them all the time. And in Manhattan they are often charged as felonies.
theappeal.org/manhattan-d-a-…
My clients in Brooklyn who use them for work are prosecuted for carrying them all the time. And in Manhattan they are often charged as felonies.
theappeal.org/manhattan-d-a-…
These laws are used to target communities of color. 84% of people prosecuted are Black and Latinx.
My @LegalAidNYC colleague & friend @HaraFischbein & @AMDanQuart have worked tirelessly for the past decade on legalizing gravity knives; collecting data & testimony, showing how the law discriminates against Black & Brown people, how it jeopardizes poor people’s livelihoods.
In fact a law legalizing gravity knives overwhelmingly passed the New York State legislature last year, only to be vetoed by @NYGovCuomo.
nytimes.com/2017/10/24/nyr…
nytimes.com/2017/10/24/nyr…
This is why, although people feel excited that the Democrats control the House & Senate in Albany, the governor’s actions in quashing the most sensible uncontroversial piece of criminal justice reform legislation gives me pause.
nydailynews.com/news/politics/…
nydailynews.com/news/politics/…
