Knife fighting

[street fighter]

Hi yall, just wanting to hear your thoughts on knives as defensive weapons and the laws that will most likely attack you after a defense with an edged weapon. Please understand im not talking about swords, im talking about pocket and smaller fixed blades. Thank you.

[STR33T GUY]

If you kill someone with a knife you will be typically charged with murder and you can try your self-defense plea out on the jury, if you lose you will get LIFE!

 

If you kill someone with a bludgeoning weapon (hands included) you will be typically charged with manslaughter. If you skip the trial and plead guilty you can be out in a couple of years.

 

BIG difference, isn’t it?

[tommarker]

Are you a lawyer?

[STR33T GUY]

Are you a lawyer?

 

Just the jail house kind.

[krzychicano]

I got a lawgiver

[JerryLove]

Florida does not differentiate one deadly weapon from another in this regard (except that firearms carry their own added penalties).

 

If you carry it concealed, you'd better have a CCW permet.

 

If you carry it openly, you may be "brandishing".

 

If you pull it, you definately are.

 

You must eaxaust all reasonable avenues of escape, unless exempted by castel docterine.

 

You may only employ a weapon to prevent a forcible fealony.

 

As to what laws you are up for.

 

Brandishing, Aggrivated Assault, Aggrivated Battery, Attempted Murder, Murder 2, Murder 1, and (occasionally) Manslaughter.

 

I'm sure there are a slew of smaller laws available to use against you as well.

[street fighter]

O.K. fellas I get the legal end of the question now, lets get to the reality of the knife as a weapon of self-defense key word self-defense. So you know where I stand it will be used as last resort but if given opportunity it will be good ole selfish me before poor ole him, I would rather deal with a jury and jail before meeting the mortician. Thank you for your comments and give me more.

[Sauzin]

I view martial arts as being about options. Let me offer an example...

 

A guy who has always believed in not fighting goes to a bar. Two somewhat inebriated guys start messing with him, he tries to leave but they stop him at the door. They pull him outside. His only option is to try and get away, he tries, but they prevent him and he gets beaten to death. They claim it was an accident but they both go to jail for murder 2.

 

A guy buys a knife and practices with it in his back yard. He goes to the bar. Two guys start with him, stopping him at the door. They pull him out side. He now has two options. Try and get away or pull his knife. He realizes that his opponents aren't going to let him do this and fears for his life so he pulls his knife. One stick and the bad guy drops, the other runs. The cops come and arrest him for assault with a deadly weapon and charge him with murder 2. He gets 20 years in prison.

 

A guy practices a comprehensive weapon art for 5 years 3 times a week. He goes to the bar. Two guys start with him, stopping him at the door. They go to pull him outside and he has 3 options. Try and get away, use his weapon to disable them, or use his weapon to kill them. Before they pull him outside he draws his weapon and disables them, holding them 'till the cops to arrive. The cops arrive and charge him, not his attackers, with assault with a deadly weapon. He goes to jail but gets out in a few days. The judge lets him off easy with community service.

 

A guy practices a comprehensive martial art that includes both weapons and empty hand study for 5 years 3 times a week. He goes to the bar. Two guys start with him stopping him at the door. He now has 4 options. Try and get away, use a weapon to disable them, use a weapon to kill them, or remove their control and leave. When the first guy puts his hand on his shoulder he chooses to remove their control and quickly grabs the guy's wrist and applies pressure while stepping behind him. He shoves him towards his friend who, stunned and confused gets angry at the friend who just ran into him. By the time they're done arguing the guy they were assaulting is in his car and pulling out of the lot.

 

So to specifically address your question. There are a lot of situations that might call for the need to defend one's self. The more options you have the better. That's why we train. Will a person always make the right choice? No, but he's got a better chance if he has trained to have more options.

 

Is a knife good for defense? Well it's one option. If you make it you're only option other then not fighting then I think you have done yourself and society a disservice. If the situation causes it to be the only option then I would use it, but I hope to God that my training might prevent that from being the case. Getting killed, however, is not an option.

[STR33T GUY]

A knife is a poor defensive weapon because you can stab an attacker several times before he is even aware of it and stops the attack (maybe). A knife is really an offensive weapon best used with the intent to kill.

 

A club makes a much better defensive weapon because of the shock that accompanies the blow. A club has a better chance of halting an attack than does a knife.

[delta1]

For an overview of the law, fet "The Law and the Martial Arts" by Carl Brown, who is a Judoka and a trial lawyer.

 

For specific laws in your state, you'll have to research that yourself. But read the book (above) first, so you'll have a better idea what you are looking for, and a better understanding of what you find.

 

A knife in skilled hands is an excellant self defense weapon as far as the technicalities and applications. But, it can be considered an offensive weapon, and carrying it may show intent on your part. You are dealing with perceptions, not truth, when dealing with the courts.

 

Another thing to consider is that the mere presence of a weapon, whether deployed or not, immediately escalates the threat level in any conflict. The second you pull it, you are useing deadly force. If you don't pull it, and he gets the upper hand or gets your weapon, you are facing deadly force- which means that you have to consider any conflict as potentially deadly. When armed, you have to swallow your pride and walk away from even more than you do as just a martial artist, or face jail and civil suits.

 

If you want to carry a knife, I'd suggest a small folder with a good grip and a bullet-proof lock, and one that can be opened quickly with one hand. Make sure you have a good utility reason for carrying it. These are less likely to be recognized and taken in a fight, and are not as easily used by some lier (I mean lawyer) to show intent.