No, the Baltimore city code bans that knife. It was not a switchblade, but it was spring-assisted, which city code bans. The convict was LEGALLY arrested, for cause. He was carrying a knife BANNED BY BALTIMORE CITY CODE. Maryland does NOT have a state-level knife law preemption law.
From 2harddrive:
No, the Baltimore city code bans that knife. It was not a switchblade, but it was spring-assisted, which city code bans.
Marktwain replies:
Baltimore City Code is vague on the subject:
Maryland does not have knife law preemption, so municipalities such as Baltimore are allowed to fabricate laws more restrictive than the state itself. Baltimore’s city code prohibits the sale, carry or possession of “any knife with an automatic spring or other device for opening and/or closing the blade, commonly known as a switch-blade knife.” While it might be possible in theory to interpret that unusual definition of “switch-blade” to include assisted-opening knives, such an interpretation would conflict with virtually all other switchblade definitions throughout the country.
http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=335&Itemid=1