Archive for February, 2011

Even though the Missouri legislature excluded 4 inch pocketknives from the definition of “knife”, exhibiting said small knife in a threatening manner is still illegal.

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011

Defendant was convicted for exhibiting a small pocketknife in a threatening manner.  On appeal, he argued that his 4 inch pocketknife could not be a basis for a weapons conviction since Chapter 571 excluded 4 inch pocketknives from the statutory definition of “knife”.  The appeals court affirmed the conviction stating that the intent of excluding small pocketknives was to permit the concealed carrying of them and was not a declaration that suck knives are incapable of lethal force.  State of Missouri v. Meyers, No. 71229 (Mo. App. W.D., November 16, 2010).