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Missouri

Missouri – Chapter 571, Weapons Offenses [excerpts].

– 571.010. Definitions…

(10) “Knife” means any dagger, dirk, stiletto, or bladed hand instrument that is readily capable of inflicting serious physical injury or death by cutting or stabbing a person. For purposes of this chapter, “knife” does not include any ordinary pocketknife with no blade more than four inches in length;

(11) “Knuckles” means any instrument that consists of finger rings or guards made of a hard substance that is designed or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious physical injury or death by striking a person with a fist enclosed in the knuckles;

(18) “Switchblade knife” means any knife which has a blade that folds or closes into the handle or sheath, and
(a) That opens automatically by pressure applied to a button or other device located on the handle; or
(b) That opens or releases from the handle or sheath by the force of gravity or by the application of centrifugal force.

– 571.020…
1. A person commits a crime if such person knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs, or sells:

(7) A switchblade knife;

(9) Knuckles.

2. A person does not commit a crime pursuant to this section if his conduct:

(1) Was incident to the performance of official duty by the armed forces, national guard, a governmental law enforcement agency, or a penal institution; or
(2) Was incident to engaging in a lawful commercial or business transaction with an organization enumerated in subdivision (1) of this section; or…
(4) Was incident to displaying the weapon in a public museum or exhibition; or
(5) Was incident to dealing with the weapon solely as a curio, ornament, or keepsake, or to using it in a manner reasonably related to a lawful dramatic performance;

3. A crime pursuant to… subdivision (7), (8) or (9) of subsection 1 of this section is a class A misdemeanor.

(L. 1981 H.B. 296, A.L. 2002 S.B. 712)

– 571.030.
1. A person commits the crime of unlawful use of weapons if he or she knowingly:

(1) Carries concealed upon or about his or her person a knife, a firearm, a blackjack or any other weapon readily capable of lethal use; or…

(4) Exhibits, in the presence of one or more persons, any weapon readily capable of lethal use in an angry or threatening manner; or

8) Carries a firearm or any other weapon readily capable of lethal use into any church or place where people have assembled for worship, or into any election precinct on any election day, or into any building owned or occupied by any agency of the federal government, state government, or political subdivision thereof; or…

(10) Carries a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, or any other weapon readily capable of lethal use into any school, onto any school bus, or onto the premises of any function or activity sponsored or sanctioned by school officials or the district school board.

2. Subdivisions (1), (3), (4), (6), (7), (8), (9) and (10) of subsection 1 of this section shall not apply to or affect any of the following: [law enforcement, military, judges, carry permit holders, etc. This exemption applies only to 571.030, not to 571.020]

Chapter 160 – Schools–General Provisions

160.261. 1. The local board of education of each school district shall clearly establish a written policy of discipline… 2… The policy shall at a minimum require school administrators to report, as soon as reasonably practical, to the appropriate law enforcement agency any of the following felonies, or any act which if committed by an adult would be one of the following felonies:

(19) The possession of a weapon under chapter 571, RSMo;

6. For the purpose of this section, the term “weapon” shall mean a firearm as defined under 18 U.S.C. 921 and the following items, as defined in section 571.010, RSMo: a blackjack, a concealable firearm, an explosive weapon, a firearm, a firearm silencer, a gas gun, a knife, knuckles, a machine gun, a projectile weapon, a rifle, a shotgun, a spring gun or a switchblade knife; except that this section shall not be construed to prohibit a school board from adopting a policy to allow a Civil War reenactor to carry a Civil War era weapon on school property for educational purposes so long as the firearm is unloaded. The local board of education shall define weapon in the discipline policy. Such definition shall include the weapons defined in this subsection but may also include other weapons.

  Missouri Case Law:
– “Knife which was 7 to 8 inches long with a 4 to 5 inch
   blade could be found to be a ‘dagger’ and thus a ‘deadly
   weapon’… (1982)
– “Information charging defendant with knowingly carrying a
   concealed weapon, a boot knife with a 4-1/2 inch blade,
   was sufficient to negative statutory exception to offense
   of unlawful use of weapon, providing that pocketknife with
   blade no more than 4 inches in length is not a knife,
   where defendant’s knife had a fixed double-edge blade that
   did not fold into handle.” (1982)
– “Evidence that knife defendant was carrying was a paring
   knife with a sharp point supported classification of knife
   as bladed hand instrument readily capable of inflicting
   serious physical injury or death by cutting or stabbing
   person within meaning of… 571.010, and thus, issue of
   whether defendant carried a ‘knife’ was properly submitted
   to jury.” (1986)
– “State trial court’s admission of knife in prosecution…
   over objection that it did not meet the statutory
   definition of ‘knife’ did not violate any constitutional
   right or deny due process…” (1992)
– “Butterknife used by defendant in burglary and attempted
   forcible sodomy was ‘dangerous instrument’…” (1993)
– “… steak knife was ‘dangerous instrument’ as employed by
   defendant…” (1993)
– “This section prohibiting carrying concealed weapon
   includes ‘straight razor’…” (1977)

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