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Recursion

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29. The legal position is questionable since Baltimore *still* has massive "sweep" areas

Wed May 6, 2015, 10:13 PM

May 2015

where police are legally allowed to stop and question literally anyone they see. Many cities have these limited to particular areas specifically linked to particular criminal activities (e.g. in DC they would question anybody standing around Sursum Corda, and any white people found walking towards it; there was kind of racial cordon sanitaire enforced by a ring of beat cops). I'm pretty sure that was allowed federally by the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act (the same thing that gave us "drug free zones" and "gun free zones" around schools). What wasn't envisioned was Baltimore's use of that authority to label entire wards as drug free zones, which basically gave cops the legal power to arrest anybody they saw at any time and come up with a reason for it later after they searched them. (Single cigarette in your pocket? Must have bought a loosie illegally. Etc.)

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Was the knife legal or illegal? Has civics class failed me? [View all] diabeticman May 2015 OP

Legal AuntPatsy May 2015 #1

I was of the opinion Aerows May 2015 #2

+1 ScreamingMeemie May 2015 #4

^^ THIS. nt MH1 May 2015 #9

++++++++++ uppityperson May 2015 #10

I'm just asking because the news ESPECIALLY CNN has been makinh a HUGE deal diabeticman May 2015 #14

I think everyone Aerows May 2015 #16

I agree I just see too many Sheeple who don't use common sense. diabeticman May 2015 #18

Too many people Aerows May 2015 #20

+1 uponit7771 May 2015 #23

Did the police know about the knife before they approached him? I dont think so, so as usual NoJusticeNoPeace May 2015 #3

Its completely relevant. former9thward May 2015 #12

Gray is DEAD. Aerows May 2015 #15

Shouting will not bring him back to life. former9thward May 2015 #17

It's not speculation and rumor Aerows May 2015 #19

He died in police.. sendero May 2015 #35

Legally you are so wrong. former9thward May 2015 #37

The police either .. sendero May 2015 #38

City law is trumped by state and federal law when state and federal law is more restrictive Travis_0004 May 2015 #5

I don't know the details, but your legal reasoning is wrong JVS May 2015 #6

One would think that the violtion of a local law notadmblnd May 2015 #27

My recollection is federal LAW is a MINIMUM standard HereSince1628 May 2015 #7

Not that it matters but I believe an assisted spring opening knife was illegal to carry there. imnew May 2015 #8

Is that (the) knife he had or is that (a) knife that is illeal. Why would any knife be doc03 May 2015 #22

I have a knife that I have carried around in my pocket for YEARS Aerows May 2015 #26

A buddy of mine in the Army had one like that, he could open it doc03 May 2015 #33

It is not the knife he had , it was an example for the OP imnew May 2015 #31

OK n/t doc03 May 2015 #34

City code was more stricter than state law. former9thward May 2015 #11

The knife was not the reason for the cops to detain Gray since Malraiders May 2015 #13

You are conflating two issues Evergreen Emerald May 2015 #30

Switchblade laws and the like should be struck down anyway. beevul May 2015 #21

+1, when people can walk around kids exiting schools with an AR-15 who cares about a switch blade... uponit7771 May 2015 #24

Let's just state the obvious, anyway Aerows May 2015 #25

I couldn't agree more. beevul May 2015 #28

The legal position is questionable since Baltimore *still* has massive "sweep" areas Recursion May 2015 #29

Whether the knife is legal or not is not the fu_cking, big, glaring issue. brush May 2015 #32

I don't think anyone will disgree that Freddie Gray's death is THE biggest issue SickOfTheOnePct May 2015 #36