SJC deems carrying a switchblade no longer a crime in Massachusetts

BOSTON — In a decision issued Tuesday, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court deemed it lawful for residents to carry a switchblade, reversing a 1957 state law.

The law previously prohibited people from carrying certain spring-release pocketknives, or “switchblades.” The SJC argued the ban violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

The ruling was prompted by a July 3, 2020 arrest in Boston where David E. Canjura was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon after an altercation with his girlfriend because of the “orange firearm-shaped knife with a spring-assisted blade” in his pocket, according to the decision.

In a pretrial motion to dismiss the charge, Canjura said although the knife in his pocket fits the definition of a switchblade, the knife was actually an “arm” that preserved his “inherent right of self-defense.”

The SJC concluded that switchblades meet the “common use” weapons test, which is cited in Bruen and Heller, two rulings on the Second Amendment by the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Only seven States and the District of Columbia categorically ban switchblades or other automatic knives, and only two States impose blade length restrictions of less than two inches,” the decision read. “From these facts, we can reasonably infer that switchblades are weapons in common use 15 today by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes; more specifically, we can infer they are ‘Widely owned and accepted as a legitimate means of self-defense across the country.’”

The full decision can be viewed here:

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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