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New York Loses Again - Cuomo Acknowledges Legal Defeats.

Keith G. Langer May 31, 2019

Citing a "change in legal landscape” NY Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation repealing New York's longstanding ban on loosely defined "gravity knives." That change was the rejection of prosecutions and a defeat in Federal court.

 Cuomo's signature enacted a bill decriminalizing possession of pocket knives routinely carried by a majority of tradesmen, first responders and the general public, and removes the threat of this charge being brought against anyone with a pocket knife. This comes after his two prior vetoes of similar legislation, and removes a law the NYPD was notorious for using against the city's minority residents.

 “While I remain aware of the cautious community voices, I cannot veto a bill passed by the Legislature to address a decided constitutional infirmity in existing law, as recently affirmed by a federal court,” Cuomo said. New York Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and a majority of the state legislature supported the bill; New York Mayor Bill de Blaiso still maintains the knives “present a clear danger in our city.”