BANGOR, Maine — A man who thought someone was chasing him was arrested outside Frati’s pawnshop on State Street when police discovered he had a knife Tuesday afternoon, Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards said.
David Harris, 30, a Bangor transient, had a knife in his possession when police searched him, Edwards said.
Harris was at Frati’s when the owners observed him acting strangely, prompting them to call police, the sergeant said.
“He thought someone was chasing him, which is consistent with a bath salts user,” Edwards said.
While Harris wasn’t found to be on the synthetic drug, he did have a knife when Officer Kim Donnell searched him, and he was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a Class D offense.
He was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center for evaluation before being transported to the Penobscot County Jail, where he remained Wednesday.
Harris was issued a summons for marijuana possession earlier this week in Orono, during which the driver of a vehicle he was a passenger in was arrested for having a handgun in the glove compartment.
In January, Harris was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, trafficking in dangerous knives, carrying a concealed weapon, operating a motor vehicle after suspension and violating a condition of release after police found a stolen car at Ranger Inn on Hammond Street, according to Bangor Daily News archives.
Harris faces up to a year in jail if convicted of the concealed weapons charge in Tuesday’s case.
Man in Bangor was arrested in Bangor for being in Bangor.
Wrong. He was arrested under – http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/25/title25sec2001-A.html and it sounds as if he did violate that very statute.
You are right and unless it is used to fish, hunt, or trap it is not supposed to be concealed. I guess it would pay to keep a valid hunting fishing license in your pocket also. It also doesn’t describe what type of knife is allowable on the website just refers you to 10001 and no more info. LOL it is probably connected to the Maine Care computer.
I wonder if this means that it gives police officers an extremely wide
berth when dealing with this type of situation and at least it may get
at least one possibly dangerous type off the street and into a place
where they can’t harm themselves or others. I don’t know, I’m obviously
just throwing stuff out there and seeing what sticks.
There are lots of people who carry knives. Most are for utilitarian reasons, not protection. Are they all subject to arrest?
The simple answer is “yes”. “Concealing” a knife on your person is illegal. Good luck getting a concrete definition of “concealed”.
IF, they walk like a duck and quack like a duck!!
I was under the impression that a knife becomes dangerous and subject to concealed weapons charges if it is a fixed blade, or if the blade length is longer than 4″.
I suppose if you are otherwise law abiding, pleasant and not all twitchy and nervous-like, you might get a little extra leeway. But what purpose, other than hunting and fishing, do you need a blade longer than 4″ anyway?
So let me see if I undestand this right. If I am pulled over for a traffic stop and I am found to have a knife in my possesion, I will be going to jail for carrying a concealed weapon?
According to the statute as written, yes.
Only if it’s concealed. You can have it on the dash and there won’t be a problem……. Very strange, I know…
I don’t think it will hold up in court, unless it was used in the commission of a crime or displayed in a threatening manner.
If its on your belt is that considered concealed?
If it is not “In plain sight” and the blade has a length greater than 4 inches. Cant have your shirt or jacket over it……
It is the officer’s discretion. It all hinges on the
circumstances. As previous posts have mentioned; threats, fights etc will add
to the officer’s probable cause for the charge but I am sure officers see these
things all the time and prefer the knives stay in the pockets, away from hands.
Also keep in mind – September of 2001. Box
cutters were the intial weapons used to gain control of the aircraft.
Unfortunatly YES. According to Maine Statute Title 25 – Part 5 – Chapter 252 -Sub Section 2001-a: 1. Display or carrying prohibited. A person may not, unless excepted by a provision of law:
A. Display in a threatening manner a firearm, slungshot, knuckles, bowie knife, dirk, stiletto or other dangerous or deadly weapon usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person; or [2003, c. 452, Pt. N, §2 (NEW); 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]
B. Wear under the person’s clothes or conceal about the person’s person a firearm, slungshot, knuckles, bowie knife, dirk, stiletto or other dangerous or deadly weapon usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person. [2003, c. 452, Pt. N, §2 (NEW); 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]Late last year a woman was arrsted in Bangor on other charges but was carryin a small pocket knife in her pocket, she was also chargd with a concealed weapon. The problem with the statute is the ” dangerous or deadly weapon usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person” statement. It’s open to too much interpretation. A knife of just about any size can be used in ” the attack on or defense of a person”, but so can a BIC Stick pen if used properly.
There was a lady downtown today wearing stiletto’s, and she looked very dangerous indeed.
Special__Ed, where you been man! You’ve been missed.
also if you are hunting you can have the knife “concealed” the law is bogus and an example of bead government
Another John Baldacci law that makes no sense… Heck I got a pocket knife on my fifth birthday hence the name pocket knife it went in my pocket… We have to get rid of the old liberal lawmakers that are left in Augusta..
The original Statue 2001, was new in 1985, hardly a John Baldacci law’
I have a small one inch blade knife that hangs on my key chain.. I use it to scrape under my finger nails or hack through letters like a letter opener would do. One day i got stuck on the side of the road and had to use it to clean a battery terminal, that was so corroded it just wouldn’t let the juice through. An officer graciously informed me that it was illegal to carry knives.. I laughed and said what this and pointed it at him he must of been about 5 feet away and he instinctively reached for his side arm, he never pulled it but i apologized and said it is my key chain and i use it for whatever this is illegal and he said yes.. Again i apologized and continued hacking through the corrosion and then i told him look i had a key chain knife and a pair of pliers and i was happy to have the knife.. He never wrote me up but he did say i shouldn’t point it at anybody.. I am sorry but this little knife is still on my key chain.. I’m sure you have all seen one before it has 2 blades one is a nail file and the other is a blade on the handle it used to say Florida and there was a picture of a girl in a bikini on the beach under an umbrella.. I thanked him for the jump and went on my way.. But i thought it was so ridiculous that that kind of thing was illegal..
Scraping battery posts and under your fingernails is now illegal in the state of Maine.
Times they are a gettin weird. When i was a kid(10) i used to carry a Barlow knife and spent a lot of my free time whittling and whistling while drinking a RC Cola. I guess i was brought up wrong.
You were probably brought up in a different time…
Well Mr. Clampett it seems that whittling in public is illegal these days. lol.
Only if you conceal the knife.
Ferdico 17-A section 1055 article 1. A person is guilty of possession or distribution of dangerous knives if, when the person has no right to do so, the person knowingly manufactures or causes to be manufactured, or knowingly possesses, displays, offers, sells, lends, gives away or purchases any knife that has a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the knife, or any knife having a blade that opens or falls or is erected into position by the force of gravity, or by outward, downward or centrifugal thrust or movement.
article2: Possession of dangerous knives is a Class D crime.
A Class D crime:Exeeds one year but does not exeed three years.
Two different laws; Carrying concealed vs trafficking in dangerous knives.
Class D is up to a year. Still a misdemeanor.
your right on the two different laws. However, there was an automatic knife involved in the case so this is relevent. Also, according to my current copy of the Ferdico on Maine Criminal Statutes, Class D crimes are to exeed one year but does not exeed three years. I own the 2011-2012 edition.
oops I was referring to the previous charges he has against him in a different case. In any case, this person needs to have a little jail time to rehabilitate and re-assess his life.
Another stupid law that doesn’t specify length. I’m a carpenter and always carry two knives with me for woodworking. One is a jack knife style and has a two inch blade the other is a utility knife.
I had to appear as a witness in court not long ago and had both knives with me (concealed in my pockets) as I walked through the metal detectors. The detectors sounded, I put them into a box given to me by the officer. Upon leaving the courthouse they were returned to me. Nothing was said.I think the law should be revised and a length be specified, in many states it is illegal to carry any knife over 3 inches, anything under 3 inches is fine.
Hmmm, it’ll illegal to carry any knife … but legal to carry long screwdrivers?
I can carry an exposed pistol in Connecticut (with my pistol permit) but you rednecks up there in the sticks can’t have a concealed knife on you. WOW
The question arises…..how many weapons are in a Leatherman…