Need LEO or legal advice please

News Shooter

News Shooter

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I have a 15 year old son...I intercepted a package for him in the mail which contained a switch blade knife...I'm not sure if he bought it on ebay or what.
I can't make heads or tails of the laws about this, but could really use some advice on how to proceed....i have the guy's name and address (MN)
should I go to local police? MN police? Nothing?

I would really appreciate any help you might be able to give me

Thanks
 
Assuming your kid ordered it because he thought it's a cool toy, and not because he's a thug in the making:

1. Throw the damn thing out

2. Take that kid to a course and to the PD to get his FID

3. Explain that one arrest for an illegal knife means he loses the FID and any prospect of a future LTC when he turns 21.
 
I like Mr. Boudries Idea except the disposal procedure. I would return the knife for refund and use the extra cash toward something more constructive. It could go toward the course and/or FID card, not to mention that ammo isn't getting any cheaper.

P.S.
Switch blade knifes that are 1½" or less in blade lenth are legal for use and carry in Massachusetts.
 
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News Shooter, if you don't mind, take this from the mother of two boys (21 and 25 now, they're still not cooked yet!). Deal with your son. Forget about the guy who sold it to him. It's his (you son's) responsibility, he ponied up the money and placed the order. Yea, you could get the other guy in trouble, or you could open your son up to even more trouble with the lay perhaps - that's how I'd play it, for what it's worth.

If it's any comfort, mine burned a whole bunch of Anarchists' Cookbooks onto floppy disks and sold a few at high school ($5.00 apiece) before I caught him. Damned fool kids! Then the younger one wrote something on his MCAS about how the authors of the test should be killed.....had a lovely visit with the principal over that one, they flagged it at the state level as a potential Columbine. Aren't kids fun?

At least they've stayed out of jail, hold down jobs now and are ( one's gone, one's going) almost totally out of the nest....[rolleyes]
 
he doesn't pay any attention to me..
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Hopefully this won't come across too strong but the a-hole in MN is not your problem. Your son is. Maybe you could do something to that guy but I wouldn't bet that it would solve the problem.

Your kid needs some help now. I had a son who was in similar problems (not a switchblade) but things worse. He ended up spending time in jail because I was lucky and found out what he was doing and turned him in. Maybe your son's problem is not as bad as our son's was but I would not try to rationalize it away.

You and his mother (if she is in the picture) need to figure out what is going on and develop a plan to fight it.
 
Sure, you could give the Nazi's at the AG's office a call, Adolf Reilly would appreciate your involvement in helping him control what gets mailed into the state. Not to mention how nice the story will look on his web page. ( AG Reilly issues subpoena to persons sending illegal knifes to children ) Soon everybody will be afraid to mail to us.

IMO I don't think your local PD is going to do a whole lot about it except maybe ask for the knife for confiscation, I'm sure someone there will be happy to add it into their collection. Now if your boy was caught with it he could expect criminal charges.

I'd throw it away or send it back. A phone call is surely do as I agree they should have at least checked for age.
 
Switchblades are all over the place. If not through mail order kids will get em at flea markets. If he is interested in knives its best to take him to a sporting goods or gun store and let him see a few that are legal to carry in Mass and maybe get him a assisted opening folder. Teach him knife handling, explain laws and safety and consequences on missuse. At least if hes determined to get one and carry it, it'll be something legal.
As for the switchblade... any PD you turn it into is just gonna let it sit around and be a source of amusement for the desk cops, or throw it away. I'd send it back and ask for a refund. Chances are its an Italy made plastic handle cheapie and only worth about $20.
Just my two cents.
 
Thanks folks

I've sent some private messages, but might as well go public..
I'm a single dad.
My son is now in DSS custody. He pulled one of these knifes at school and was expelled. I spent the last two years trying everything I knew to keep him out of trouble and on track but it just kept getting worse and worse..
He's bigger than I am, not that that matters, but if he doesn't want to do something, he just doesn't do it. As you know, in this nanny state, there is nothing you can do physically with your children (not that I would)

I wish there was a magic wand I could wave that would fix this, but there isn't.
It wasn't supposed to turn out this way, or so I thought 15 years ago.

I am probablyfocusing on the wrong thing, but I can't do anything about my son right now. He's undergoing psychological testing and who knows what else. He won't take my calls and pretty much hates my guts.

I just wondered what I ought to do about this knife dealer if anything.
Maybe I should just let it go.

Appreciate the responses.
 
Moderator said:
Sure, you could give the Nazi's at the AG's office a call, Adolf Reilly would appreciate your involvement in helping him control what gets mailed into the state. Not to mention how nice the story will look on his web page. ( AG Reilly issues subpoena to persons sending illegal knifes to children ) Soon everybody will be afraid to mail to us.

IMO I don't think your local PD is going to do a whole lot about it except maybe ask for the knife for confiscation, I'm sure someone there will be happy to add it into their collection. Now if your boy was caught with it he could expect criminal charges.

I'd throw it away or send it back. A phone call is surely do as I agree they should have at least checked for age.
Click to expand...

Assuming of course Reichsfuhrer Reilly hasn't already read this and has dispatched his minions to impound the NES server logs for the coordinates to the News Shooter compound. It is an election year after all.
 
The "dealer" is probably some guy selling out of his house. It's the buyer's responsibility to know what's legal to buy. The seller can't know every state and city law in the US.

Try to return for a refund based on the fact that it's illegal to own in MA and his age, but don't expect a whole lot.

Yes, we used to have an entire "toy box" at the PD (old station . . . no idea these days as I stay out of the PD except for rare occasions on official business only) that was labeled "junior detective kit" and we used to have a blast playing with the ice pick, blow gun, etc. for savage amusement. So, yes turning it into the PD is a last resort just to avoid possessing it (re criminal charges).

I wish you luck with your Son, it has to be hard and heartbreaking.
 
I'm in no way condoning the behavior of the dealer.. however it sounds like you got your hands full dealing with your son. I wish you the best with your son, I really do hope things get better for you... it must suck but be patient.

I might be inclined sending the dealer a little note indicating just what he did and why it was wrong.
 
LenS said:
The "dealer" is probably some guy selling out of his house. It's the buyer's responsibility to know what's legal to buy. The seller can't know every state and city law in the US.
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I respectfully disagree. The seller should damn well know the state laws he/she sells into. This is no different than someone selling firearms/supplies/magazines illegally IMO. Unfortuantely as we know... most firearm dealers go to the other extreme and often won't ship things that ARE legal.

This being said the person buying should bear responsibility as well.
 
Yeah-thanks

Appreciate the thoughts..I'm going to send the guy a note explaining to him that he could get into trouble with his business...and then drop it.

At this point I doubt my son is ever going to live with me again. The whole thing is surreal. Some day I hope to be able to figure out what happened

Thanks
 
Damn few here on NES even have a clue about MA knife laws . . . and then you have Boston's knife laws . . . and who knows if Springfield, Lowell, Lawrence, Brockton, etc. don't have their own, etc.

You really expect the seller in a state 1000 miles away to know our goofy laws when most members here don't even know them (or the gun laws, or MV law, etc.)? [I am NOT criticizing anyone here, just pointing out how difficult it is to "know it all".]

Indeed that is why many out of state dealers won't ship fixed wooden gun stocks, boresighters, rifles, any mags, any knives, etc. into MA and we criticize them for going "beyond the law". It's easier to refuse all sales than spend 100s of hours researching laws for a few sales in MA.
 
Look... up in the sky...

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No... it's Über AG...



Firms Barred From Shipping Weapons To Mass. Residents

Wednesday, 26 October 2005

Three out-of-state online weapons retailers are permanently barred from shipping weapons such as stun guns and switchblades to Massachusetts residents and must pay thousands of dollars in civil penalties, a Suffolk Superior Court judge has ordered.

Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly, who announced the order yesterday, has filed several suits to halt the sale over the Internet of weapons that are illegal in Massachusetts, said his spokeswoman, Sarah Nathan.

According to the order handed down by Judge Frank M. Gaziano, C&M Enterprises of Fort Gaines, Ga., and Copgear.net of Killeen, Texas, must pay penalties of $35,000 each, and Martial Arts Gear Inc. of Lafayette, La., must pay the state $30,000. In addition, the retailers must put notices on their websites stating that they do not ship weapons into Massachusetts and they must also incorporate software that blocks orders to Massachusetts addresses.

The companies were among seven sued by Reilly in the summer 2004, following an undercover sting involving retailers selling and shipping stun guns, switchblades, knives, swords, nunchuks, throwing stars, slingshots, and dirks to an undercover agent, Nathan said. Selling and possessing such weapons are illegal in Massachusetts, although they are legal in some other states.

Similar stings have been set up involving online alcohol and gun sales, Nathan said.

The remaining four companies sued by the state settled and agreed not to sell such weapons in Massachusetts. They also paid $5,000 each in penalties. Those companies are: Talley Security Products of Flagstaff, Ariz., Lifestyle Fascinations of Lakewood, N.J., Bynoon.com of Dunlap, Tenn., and Discount Martial Arts Supply of Winnetka, Calif.

http://www.tomreilly.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=102
 
News Shooter said:
Appreciate the thoughts..I'm going to send the guy a note explaining to him that he could get into trouble with his business...and then drop it.

At this point I doubt my son is ever going to live with me again. The whole thing is surreal. Some day I hope to be able to figure out what happened

Thanks
Click to expand...

Have DSS look into the camp at Nickerson State Park in Brewster, MA. Sometimes it helps.

As for the knife, just get a refund. No sense causing yourself any more problems than you already have.

Sorry for your troubles, brother. I have seen too much of this and still do not understand what causes it. No matter what parents do, there is still no accountability anywhere else in the system. It undermines what we try to do at home.

Regards,
 
Maybe I should just let it go.
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That's what I suggest -- let it go. You've got more than enough heartburn as it is. Don't get yourself worked up about something you can't fix. Focus your time and energy on your son. You're in pain and are possibly angry at your son, at DSS, at yourself, etc. It would be easy to focus some of that anger at the dealer, but that isn't going to help anything and just may make things worse. Let it go.

Also realize that your son will make his own choices. Some of those choices will be bad. You can try your best to steer him on a better course, but you can't make those choices for him.

The most painful thing for me has been watching a loved one make bad choices and being unable to help them. I've been there and I'll keep you and your son in my prayers.
 
NS- sorry it sounds like you're having a really tough time. Just continue to be there for your son. He's only 15. There's still plenty of time for him to turn around and appreciate both his life and your presence in it.

Best of luck, just keep working hard.
 
Probably not much you can do about the dealer. For instance, there is a LARGE knife dealer that sells only online, that is actually based here in the PRM. You can get ANY type of knife from him, shipped right to your door, with no questions asked.

I would just send a note to the guy, explaining what his knives that are illegal in MA led to, destroy the knife, and focus on your son.

You are in a tough situation with your son now, and you should focus on getting him whatever help he needs, and start to rebuild your relationship. I am truly sorry for how things have turned out for your boy, and I will say a prayer for both of you.

Adam
 
News Shooter said:
Everything will be OK, because it has got to be.
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Perfect attitude! Keep your head high, and stay positive.
We are a family here at NES, and support each other when needed. Just say the word if you need ANYTHING!
 
Our son put us through the wringer during his late teens, even with both of us here to work with him. All I can say is that I appreciate what you're going through, and hold out the hope that if you hang in there it usually does (eventually) get better.

Ken
 
what i dont see is where you and your son live in MA in you profile..
Going to school as a young man i was beaten to a bloody pulp and had my life and the life of my family threatened on more occasions than i wish to recalll for simply being white and trying to get an educaction..in some schools the only education you get is how to take a boot in the face..

as a result i carried a 6" bowie for the entirety of my junior high school years and on. I didnt carry it because i was a punk,or some troublemaker, i carried it becuase i wanted to live or at least graduate with all of my teeth in place.. And if i had access to a handgun i would have carried one of those without a second thought... the school i attended was so bad the city had to change the name of the school twice becuase of the reputation it had accrued..

im not saying thats the case here but everyone is so quick to condemn the kid without knowing the full circumstances of the purchase..

laws be damned sometimes you gotta defend youself..
 
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SnakeEye said:
im not saying thats the case here but everyone is so quick to condemn the kid without knowing the full circumstances of the purchase..
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Wait a minute....no one is 'condemning the kid'. Sorry, but in today's day and age, you just can't take a knife to school. Of course you shouldn't be in fear for your life, but if it's that bad, you should be able to go to the administration about it. They're absolutely paranoid nowadays, you're far better off not even trying to defend yourself - you're the one that will end up in jail!

Are you a parent? Have you gone through the trials of bringing up a teenager in the 1990/2000 era? Been there, done that, have way too many T-shirts. Sympathizing with a parent isn't quite the same as condemning the child. The child did wrong, the parent needs help, both with the child and his own self-being. It's not fun.
 
I've never seen the big deal about switchblades(automatics). Many of the folding tactical knives being sold today are classified "assisted" or "spring assisted" opening. I guess switchblades are illegal in the Republik of Mass., maybe Federally. I don't know. I had one as a kid, and I was a Boy Scout, never got in trouble. Of course, I never flashed it around. I guess a question I have is, "Is the kid a good kid?"
 

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